Middlesbrough vs Bristol City prediction: ENGLAND: Championship betting tips on match 2024-02-09 15:00.
After Middlesbrough conceded a preventable late equaliser in the Tees-Wear derby, defender Rav van den Berg told the local press that they “must win” this game against Bristol City. That assessment seems fair as Middlesbrough sit all the way down in 12th, but remain just four points below the play-offs, a gap they cannot afford to let grow in what is an incredibly congested league.
Improving on a run of two home triumphs in eight outings will be key to closing that gap (W2, D2, L4), although similarly disappointing showings in their last five meetings on their own patch with the Robins may temper expectations (W1, D1, L3). In fact, Boro boss Michael Carrick has only faced Coventry City more often without ever winning as a manager than Bristol City, a team he has failed to beat in three such H2Hs (D2, L1).
He will hope that’s about to change as their opponents have had much less time to prepare for this encounter after their midweek FA Cup replay against Nottingham Forest. After battling from behind to secure back-to-back league draws, Liam Manning’s side fell to a 1-0 loss against Leeds United last weekend, leaving them languishing in the bottom half of the table.
Despite sitting 14th however, Bristol City are just seven points off the top six and could yet have a say in the play-off race if they can kickstart their season here after a six-match winless league sequence (D3, L3). A reversal of fortune seems less likely though when considering the visitors’ return of one victory in their last ten away league trips (D4, L5) – a better tally than only two other Championship outfits over the same number of games.
Players to watch: Middlesbrough’s social media team called Marcus Forss a “natural born Finnisher” after his stunning strike against Sunderland, which extended the Finland-born striker’s scoring streak of Championship matches to a career-best three. A far more experienced campaigner at this level, Nahki Wells has only made more goal contributions against Reading (nine) than his eight in 14 clashes with Middlesbrough (G6, A2).
Hot stat: Bristol City have avoided defeat in more than half their league games as pre-match betting outsiders this term (W7, D2, L8).