Middlesbrough vs Ipswich prediction: ENGLAND: Championship betting tips on match 2023-12-08 15:00.
It was a ding dong all-Yorkshire affair last weekend as a makeshift Middlesbrough side lost 3-2 against Leeds, and despite the fact that the Teessiders now possess a lengthy absentee list, hopes are high that they can bounce back here. To put that into perspective, Middlesbrough will likely be without ten first team players for the visit of Ipswich after Isaiah Jones and Anfernee Dijksteel’s suspensions added to a raft of injuries.
A Riverside return could be just the tonic then for Boro, who have won five of their last six home league games (L1), the last four of which came without reply. In fact, Middlesbrough have scored five unanswered goals at home, the perfect prelude to this game as they look to extend their impressive unbeaten home H2H run against Ipswich to eight games (W5, D2).
Solidity certainly hasn’t been the name of the game for the Tractor Boys, who travel here on the back of an eight-game run without a clean sheet in all competitions (W4, D2, L2). Although they only won half of those games, a victory here will make history for Ipswich as 48 points after 20 rounds would set a new record for the double promotion chasers at this stage of any season across the top-four tiers of English football.
The visitors did lose out 2-0 to West Brom in their latest trip, but the omens appear strong for Ipswich bouncing back as they have never lost back-to-back away league games under boss Kieran McKenna. In fact, one must look back to 2021 to find Ipswich’s last pair of away reversals, yet a return of just one win across their latest five trips is cause for trepidation (W1, D3, L1).
Players to watch: With so many absentees, the scoring onus may once again fall on Emmanuel Latte Lath for Middlesbrough who scored inside three minutes last weekend before adding a second to take his tally to four league goals. George Hirst will likely prove a constant threat for Ipswich, having directly contributed to four goals across their last three league victories (G2, A2).
Hot stat: Middlesbrough have picked up more Championship points than any other side during 2023 (66 – W20, D6, L14).