Revenge for the defeat earlier in the season and the prospect of climbing back to the top of the table will be at the forefront of Boro's thoughts when they tackle Sheffield Wednesday at Hillsborough tomorrow.
The Owls ran out deserving winners when the two sides met at the Riverside but Boro are favourites to reverse that result as they look to pick up three more points and keep pace at the top.
Aitor Karanka will be looking for an improvement from the display against Bolton, which he described as one of the worst as his time in charge, but would be delighted with the same result.
Here's all you need to know about the match in our in-depth preview:
Probable line ups
Injury news
Belgian striker Jelle Vossen will miss tomorrow’s trip to Hillsborough after failing to recover from the head injury that saw him stretchered off against Leeds six days ago.
Boro boss Aitor Karanka hopes Vossen will be back in contention for Tuesday’s home match with Millwall.
Defender Daniel Ayala (thigh) is still out, while Damia Abella (cruciate) could return to action next month. Rhys Williams (Achilles) is sidelined for the rest of the season.
Sheffield Wednesday are sweating on the fitness of Kamil Zayatte and Claude Dielna, while club captain Glen Loovens (ankle) is out for six weeks.
The thoughts of the boss
“It will be very difficult because Sheffield don’t concede a lot of goals.
“They don’t score many either, but they are an organised team with a good manager. They beat us here and were winning 3-0 at one stage.
“I don’t remember if that was our worst performance of the season but I know our last game against Bolton wasn’t great, but the difference is we won the game and against Sheffield we lost.
“That was a difficult game for us and I’m expecting another tough game on Saturday.
“I don’t think Mustapha Carayol is ready to start. I have to wait for the right game so that I can give him 10, 15 or 20 minutes to play.
“He is doing well in training but it is different when you have not played for 11 months. Jelle Vossen could return on Tuesday.”
Opposition's view
Sheffield Wednesday boss Stuart Gray says Boro will be out for revenge after the Owls swooped to a 3-2 victory earlier this season.
“We had a fantastic result at Middlesbrough earlier in the season. I’m sure their manager was disappointed they lost when we last played them so will have them fired up,” Gray told the Sheffield Star.
“Middlesbrough are a top side. They are pushing near the top and will be looking to cement themselves in the top six.
“But we are buoyant going into the game after winning at Millwall and know we’ve got to turn our form around at Hillsborough."
Their man in the know - Dom Howson, Sheffield Star
“The team haven’t been playing too badly but they just haven’t been scoring enough goals.
“At home they have scored eight goals all season, and only two of those were from open play. That’s how tough it has been at Hillsborough recently.
“It isn’t a good pitch - that isn’t helping - and Stuart Gray recently said that it was probably on par with Blackpool’s surface.
“Tuesday’s win at Millwall was massive because they had gone seven games without a win. Realistically it will be a mid-table finish for Wednesday this season.”
Dom Howson, Sheffield Star
Who's the dangerman?
Battering ram Atdhe Nuhiu may not have been prolific in the Championship this season - but he certainly likes playing against Boro.
The Austrian striker (pictured left) netted his fifth league goal of the campaign at Millwall on Tuesday evening, taking his season’s tally up to eight in all competitions.
But in recent history it’s three goals in his last two matches against Boro, scoring a late penalty to settle the score at Hillsborough last season after Dean Whitehead was sent off.
He followed that up with a brace at the Riverside during the Owls’ 3-2 win back in August. Boro’s defenders will need to stand up to the physical battle tomorrow afternoon.
What's the form?
Boro are having “a wobble.” They have gone out of the FA Cup, drawn at Birmingham and lost to Leeds before holding on for a nervous midweek Riverside win over route one Bolton.
But the cup exit was at on-song Arsenal, Boro battled from behind at Brum with 10 men after leaking a penalty and dominated Leeds but failed to make a blizzard of chances count in a frustrating 1-0 loss so there is some mitigation.
The “wobble” actually amounts to one defeat in 10 league games and has left Boro still in second spot.
The draw at City followed an impressive run of five straight league wins and eight victories in 11.
One concern is that the defence has creaked in the absence of Daniel Ayala. After five clean sheets in six games, the Bolton shut out was the first in five - but Boro still have the best record in the league with just 22 leaked in 33 games.
The Owls’ midweek 3-1 win at Millwall was their first in eight games during a long New Year slump that saw them slip into the bottom half. Their only other win in 2015 was a 2-0 victory away at then fast-fading Forest early in January.
They were briefly ahead at table-topping Derby last weekend before collapsing in the second half to lose 3-2 to a late penalty as keeper Keiran Westwood was sent off.
And the Owls have been particularly poor at home. Wednesday’s last home victory was on Boxing Day as they edged to a scrappy 1-0 win over rock-bottom Blackpool.
In the four since then they have drawn three and lost one and have scored just one goal.
BORO’S LAST FIVE
Feb 24 (h) BOLTON W 1-0
Feb 21 (h) LEEDS L 0-1
Feb 18 (a) BIRMINGHAM
D 1-1
Feb 15 (a) ARSENAL L 0-2 (FA Cup 5th rd)
Feb 10 (a) BLACKPOOL
W 2-1
Last five aways: D 1-1, L 0-2, W 2-1, W 1-0, W 2-0
WEDNESDAY’S LAST FIVE
Feb 24 (a) MILLWALL W 3-1
Feb 21 (a) DERBY L 2-3
Feb 17 (h) BOLTON L 1-2
Feb 10 (a) NOTTM FOREST W 2-0
Feb 4 (a) MANC C W 2-0
Last five homes: D 0-0, D 1-1, D 0-0, L 1-2, W 1-0
Players who have worn both shirts
The following have played for both Boro and Sheff Wed: Viv Anderson, Ian Bailey, Marlon Beresford, Bobby Bruce, Benito Carbone, Simon Coleman, Mark Crossley, Billy Day, Johnny Fenwick (Boro triallist), Derwick Goodfellow, Pat Heard, Graeme Hedley, John Hickton, David Hodgson, Eddie Holliday, Allan Johnston, Brad Jones, Leroy Lita, Gary Madine, Brian Marwood, Tony McMahon, Eric McMordie, Chris Morris, Robbie Mustoe, Isaiah Osbourne, Joe Peacock, Nigel Pearson, Mark Proctor (pictured), Stuart Ripley, Robbie Stockdale, John Surtees, Mark Wilson, Dean Windass, Darren Wood. Coaching connections: Jack Charlton, Brian Laws
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