Middlesbrough’s chances of upsetting automatic promotion rivals Ipswich Town in the Championship on Sunday have already diminished.

Boro are fifth in the second division, three points behind second-place Ipswich, and sorely need a win to restore their chances of finishing above the play-offs.

Kim Hellberg’s side is winless in their previous six Championship games and hasn’t won since a 4-0 victory over Queens Park Rangers on March 8.

Meanwhile, the Tractor Boys stay second despite losing 2-0 to relegation-threatened Portsmouth on Tuesday.

Middlesbrough duo could miss crucial encounter with Ipswich Town.

Ipswich still has a game in hand on fellow top-two contenders Millwall, Southampton, and Middlesbrough, which might be crucial in the race for an automatic spot in next season’s Premier League, along with Championship leaders Coventry City.

Meanwhile, Sunday’s match between Boro and the Tractor Boys could set the tone for how both teams perform in the remaining games.

Middlesbrough’s recent poor run can be attributed in part to top player Hayden Hackney’s injury, which has kept him out of action since their 1-1 draw with Bristol City.

According to the East Anglian Daily Times, Hellberg stated that Hackney’s injury is improving gradually, although not as quickly as desired.I hoped he’d be back for the Millwall game, and I still hope and believe he’ll be healthy before the end of the season, but it’s going a little longer than we expected.”

These statements suggest that the midfielder, who has five goals and seven assists in the Championship this season, will be sidelined for Boro’s game against Ipswich.

Meanwhile, the East Anglian Daily Times reports that fellow Middlesbrough star Jeremy Sarmiento is a doubt for Sunday’s encounter after suffering a knee injury in his team’s 1-0 loss to Portsmouth last Saturday.

Sarmiento has failed to score or assist in 13 Championship outings since joining Boro on loan from Brighton in January.

However, the winger’s absence is still a loss for Hellberg, given he knows what it takes to get promoted from the second tier to the Premier League, having done so with Burnley and Ipswich in the previous two seasons.

The Tractor Boys may be relieved if their former promotion winner doesn’t return to haunt them at Portman Road this weekend.

Ipswich Town’s defeat would be the final blow to Middlesbrough’s automatic promotion chances.

Middlesbrough have been in poor form in recent weeks, and the fact that they are still just three points behind Ipswich reflects the fact that they were a class act for much of the season.

Boro temporarily led Coventry in the Championship championship race until being defeated 3-1 by the Sky Blues at the CBS Arena on February 16th.

However, Frank Lampard’s men are now only a matter of time away from the second-tier crown, while Hellberg’s team faces the threat of finishing in the play-offs rather than the top two.

If Middlesbrough loses to Ipswich at Portman Road on Sunday, they will be six points behind the automatic promotion places with only three games remaining, which will undoubtedly kill their chances of finishing in the top two, especially given that the Tractor Boys have a game in hand.