- Plymouth's 2-0 loss at Sheff Utd was their fourth defeat in a row
- Boro's 1-0 win over Millwall moved them up to sixth
- Recommended bet: Both Teams to Score

The fixture schedule has not been kind to Middlesbrough who face a 750-mile round trip to the far end of Devon on the final Saturday before Christmas to take on Plymouth Argyle.

At Full Time odds of 4/11 with LiveScore Bet the thinking is it will be a worthwhile trip, though Michael Carrick's men can expect a battle from the free-falling Pilgrims.

Team news

Plymouth are still without chief goal-getter Morgan Whittaker, fellow striker Muhamed Tijani, skipper Joe Edwards and exciting winger Ibrahim Cissoko.

Wayne Rooney is limited with the number of changes he could make, but Andre Gray could come in for a wide role in the Argyle boss's preferred 4-2-3-1 set-up.

Boro look set to be without right-back Luke Ayling, who hurt his foot in the 1-0 win over Millwall last time out.

The stats

Plymouth have the worst defence in the Championship, with 42 goals conceded in their 20 matches and they have kept only one clean sheet this season.

At Home Park this season they have collected 15 of their 17 points and scored 16 goals, which is more home goals than Burnley, Watford, Blackburn or West Brom.

Middlesbrough, one of three teams in the Championship yet to have a 0-0 draw, are the division's highest away scorers with 19 goals netted on their travels.

Prediction

Plymouth have lost four in a row and won just once – at home to Portsmouth – since the first week of October.

Rooney is under colossal pressure, seemingly growing on a weekly basis and he will surely be worried that his leaky defence now has to shackle the division's top away scorers.

In his favour is Plymouth's strong home record, but the fact is that this is a thankless trip for Boro however you dress it up and the Championship remains as unpredictable as ever.

Argyle have beaten Sunderland and Blackburn at home this season and will always think they have a chance in front of their own fans.

Rooney's former Manchester United team-mate Carrick has got a tune out of Boro this season and they will try to play Argyle off the park.

That's why they score goals, but commit basic errors out of defence and also concede them.

With that in mind Both Teams to Score looks to be the pick of the bets.

Back Both Teams to Score at 7/10 with LiveScore Bet

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