City have scored just six goals in their last six games, picking up only four points as a result, and their Championship play-off hopes now hang in the balance.
Yakubu has not registered in that period and top-scorer Andy King has not hit the net in seven matches. No-one else has been able to fill the void.
Eriksson has drafted in Diomansy Kamara on loan from Fulham to provide another option and the Senegal striker is likely to make his debut at the Riverside Stadium on Saturday.
"The Middlesbrough game is like a final for us now. We need to score goals, otherwise we will not win football games," said Eriksson. "I am a little bit worried we don't score but we have to go on working and we will score this Saturday.
"It is frustrating for the strikers but you can't be that worried and stress too much because it will make it worse. We will score against Middlesbrough."
Source: PA
Source: PA