Middlesbrough FC v Oxford United: No U's milestone in store this time on Teesside - but a chance to keep Championship season alive at least

A feted occasion saw Boro, then led by Bryan Robson, prevail 4-1 on the final day of the regular 1997-98 season in a gripping fight for automatic promotion with Nottingham Forest and north-east rivals Sunderland.

Doubles from Alan Armstrong and Craig Hignett saw the Teessiders complete an instant return to the Premier League, with star turn Paul Merson unveiling a T-shirt under his Boro jersey amid ecstatic post-match scenes which read: ‘That’s for you Robbo and Gibbo’ (Boro chairman Steve Gibson).

Oxford also figured in a fateful spring game in Middlesbrough in 1967, when a crowd of just under 40,000 - with thousands locked out - seeing Boro see off the U’s, again 4-1, at their former Ayresome Park home, to secure promotion back to the second tier.

Another victory over the U’s would not be the precursor to those champagne scenes but it would at least keep Boro’s competitive season alive and maintain an interest in the final couple of play-off spots.

Boss Michael Carrick said: "There's a lot of messages that get spoken about.

"We've worked all season and had some things that we've had to overcome in terms of changes in centre-back partnership and the amount of times we've done that with the back four and goalkeepers or different injuries or whatever at certain times. There's (also) runs of form.

"You go through all that through a season and put yourself in a position where you have got a chance towards the end.

"Then, it's all about what happens at the end of the season over the last eight, six, four, two games.

"That's where we are now. Without getting ahead of it; we're not at the end yet, there's plenty of work to do and it's important we stay focused.".