Super Eagles stars, Mikel Obi will come up against Oghenekaro Etebo in the Sky Bet Championship league on Friday (today) when their respective clubs – Middlesbrough and Stoke City clash at the Riverside, Completesports.com reports.
Middlesbrough last hosted Stoke in a league match on Good Friday in 1951, winning 1-0 in the top-flight while Stoke have won three of their 35 league matches played on Good Friday (W3 D9 L23), with this their first match on Good Friday since 1975; all 35 previous games have been played away from home.
Mikel who captained Middlesbrough to a 1-0 win over Hull City last Saturday will be aiming to make his 15th appearance in the Championship for Tony Pulis side as they look to clinch a playoff spot with four
games left to play.
Middlesbrough currently seventh with 64 points from 42 games in the Sky Bet Championship league table have won one of their last six games.
Etebo on his part will be targetting his third goal for Stoke City on his 31st league appearance for the club since he joined
The 23-year-old midfielder is Stoke City’s joint sixth highest scorer this season.
Stoke currently 16th in the league with 52 points from 42 games.
Meanwhile, Middlesbrough have won none of their last four league matches against Stoke City drawing two and losing two since a 2-1 win in August 2008.
This is the first meeting between the teams at the Riverside Stadium outside the top-flight since August 1997, a 1-0 victory for Stoke.
By Johnny Edward.
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