The Teessiders have been competing near the top of the Championship for most of the campaign but now face an uphill battle to win promotion from the second tier this season.
Boro thought they had salvaged a late point at Swansea when Sam Morsy cancelled out Andre Ayew’s opener in stoppage-time, yet a controversial late penalty decision went against the visitors.
Ayew subsequently converted from the spot as the Swans moved up to third in the table and kept their automatic promotion hopes alive.
Boro will now prepare for this weekend’s home game against Stoke City – who also have an outside chance of finishing in the play-offs.
With around a quarter of the season left to play, here are the latest promotion odds from bookmakers SkyBet.
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. BIRMINGHAM, ENGLAND - MARCH 02: A general view inside the stadium as players of Middlesborough warm up prior to the Sky Bet Championship match between Coventry City and Middlesbrough at St Andrew's Trillion Trophy Stadium on March 02, 2021 in Birmingham, England. Sporting stadiums around the UK remain under strict restrictions due to the Coronavirus Pandemic as Government social distancing laws prohibit fans inside venues resulting in games being played behind closed doors. (Photo by Shaun Botterill/Getty Images)
Middlesbrough players warm up ahead of their game against Coventry at St Andrew's. Photo: Shaun Botterill
