Rotherham vs Middlesbrough prediction: ENGLAND: Championship betting tips on match 2023-12-25 15:00.
Rotherham remain rooted to the foot of the Championship table after a flurry of second-half goals saw them lose 3-0 to league leaders Leicester just before Christmas. Perhaps each of the three other sides making up the bottom-four also losing helped the Yorkshiremen retain some festive cheer, although they must start winning games quickly if they are to close what is a yawning nine-point gap to safety.
A packed out New York Stadium may well be just the thing to help Rotherham kickstart their push for safety, especially seeing as they remain unbeaten in each of their last four home league games held on Boxing Day (W2, D2). That’s not to mention a relatively solid home record this season, where the league’s joint second-highest return of stalemates (W2, D5, L4) has held them back from escaping the drop.
Making the short trip across the county to face them are Middlesbrough, who made it three straight consecutive competitive victories with a 1-0 win over West Brom in a game they “should have won by more,” according to boss Michael Carrick. Now just three points from the top-six at the halfway stage of the league season, Boro will hope to close that gap by improving on their excellent Boxing Day record across the last 11 years (W9, L2).
Even with that fabulous festive return, Boro have failed to win each of their last four away trips to fellow Yorkshire sides (D1, L3), albeit the most recent of which was against automatic promotion chasing Leeds United. The apparent gulf in class here is by no means an indicator of guaranteed success, as Boro have struggled in this particular H2H, failing to score in four of the last six league editions (W2, D2, L2).
Players to watch: Whilst he is on a scoring drought since October, Rotherham’s Middlesbrough-born forward Jordan Hugill has only scored more goals against three other sides than his hometown club (G3). Boro’s Morgan Rogers has picked up back-to-back Flashscore Player of the Match accolades across three productive appearances (G2, A2), helping his side to a first League Cup semi-final in two decades in the process.
Hot stat: Boro have kept a joint league-low one clean sheet from their 11 away league games this season.