Middlesbrough vs Rotherham prediction: ENGLAND: Championship betting tips on match 2022-09-16 18:45.
A resurgent second-half performance to score twice within two minutes wasn’t enough to spare Middlesbrough’s half-time blushes against Cardiff in midweek, as Boro slumped to a disappointing 3-2 defeat after being two down at the break. The Sky TV cameras now descend upon Teesside for this rare Saturday night Championship game as boss Chris Wilder desperately seeks consistency after blaming the last result on “individual errors”.
That statement could be somewhat true as Boro have conceded 15 goals after nine rounds (W2, D3, L4), more than all but Hull! Despite being touted for promotion ahead of the season, that form has left Middlesbrough lingering around the relegation spots, with Wilder’s nine points representing an identical haul to Jonathan Woodgate in 2019/20 and Neil Warnock in 2021/22, both of whom were sacked during the season in question!
In contrast to their hosts, Rotherham have defied their own expectations in a positive way with seven unbeaten games from their opening eight in league action (W3, D4, L1). The Yorkshiremen are often put through the proverbial mill at this level with three-straight Championship relegations, though hopes are high that they can avoid the drop this time around.
Millers boss Paul Warne suggested that he isn’t getting too excited, but that he was “proud to stand there as their manager” after a dominant 3-0 win over Blackpool thrust his side to within a point of the play-off positions coming into the weekend. Despite the rather large odds for a Rotherham win, they will certainly arrive with bags of confidence boosted by the knowledge that they kept back-to-back clean sheets at the Riverside Stadium across their last two relegation campaigns (W1, D1).
Players to watch: Rodrigo Muniz is a spark in the dark for Middlesbrough at the moment, though his two headed goals since his arrival both came in defeats. Rotherham defender Richard Wood scored the opener in three of their eight games so far, though Warne said he “embarrassed himself” with a dancing celebration last time!
Hot stat: Rotherham haven’t scored more than a single goal in nine of their last ten away league games.