Aitor Karanka: Middlesbrough are under intense pressure in promotion battle

Middlesbrough boss Aitor Karanka admits they are under intense pressure in a three-way shoot-out for promotion.
Pressure is building admits Middlesbrough boss Aitor KarankaPressure is building admits Middlesbrough boss Aitor Karanka
Pressure is building admits Middlesbrough boss Aitor Karanka

Second placed Boro will go top of the Sky Bet Championship with one game left if they avoid defeat at Birmingham on Friday to put the spotlight on Brighton and Burnley.

The trio are currently locked on 87 points at the top of the table, with Brighton hosting Derby and Burnley welcoming QPR on Monday.

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Middlesbrough face Brighton at the Riverside on the final day next week in what could be a winner-takes-all showdown.

Karanka's side are unbeaten in eight games, but the former Real Madrid assistant knows they face increasing scrutiny.

He told the club website: "I would like to be excited if I was a neutral. It's nice to be in our position, but there's a lot of pressure.

"This season it will go right to the end again. Any team that wins promotion will be because they deserve it.

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"If we win it would be nice to have eight days to rest, but we have to think about Birmingham first and be prepared. We've done nothing yet. We're in a massive position and I am really proud to be here. We have to keep going.

"We are fighting against two really good teams. If we win at Birmingham and win next Saturday we're in the Premier League so it's about us."

Birmingham have won just once in their last 10 games to drop out of play-off contention after threatening to gatecrash the top six for most of the season.