Boro face leaders QPR at the Riverside Stadium on Saturday and then entertain second-placed Nottingham Forest as they attempt to drag themselves further clear of the drop zone.
McDonald, 27, told the club's official website: "QPR are the team in form and the team to beat. They have been at the top from the start and I'm sure they will want to stay there.
"But we are very confident that, especially at home, we can more than match any team in this league.
"It would be nice to get something against two of the top clubs in the Championship. It's a test of where you are as players.
"I have no doubt that with the squad we have, we should be higher than we are, but all we can do is look at these two games and try to get as many points as we can, and then hopefully we can stop looking over our shoulders."
Source: PA
Source: PA