Middlesbrough – Leeds Prediction & Picks (02.03.2018)

Middlesbrough and Leeds United meet at Riverside Stadium, in a match for the 35th round of the Championship. Leeds United won at home (2-1) when they last met in this edition of the league, on 19-11-2017. The record of direct matches played in this stadium indicates total balance between these two teams, since there was 1 draw and 1 win for each team in the last 3 matches. But the last time these two teams met at this stadium was on 27-09-2015, for the Championship, which ended with the victory of Middlesbrough by (3-0). D. Nugent (3 ‘), G. Bellusci (32’ Autogolo) and D. Fabbrini (81 ‘) scored the goals of Middlesbrough. Leeds United presents considerable differences in their results at home and as a visitor, so in this game the home factor may be decisive.

Middlesbrough:

After 15 wins, 7 draws and 12 losses, the home team is currently in the 6 th position, with 54 points won. In their last match, they tied with Sunderland out by (3-3), after in the previous match they won (3-1) at home, in a match against Hull City. This is a team that usually maintains its competitive levels in home and away matches, since in the last 30 matches they register 6 wins, 3 draws and 6 losses in away matches, with 25 goals scored and 21 conceded; against 7 wins, 2 draws and 6 losses at their stadium, with 16 goals scored and 12 suffered. In the last 10 home league matches Middlesbrough has a record of 6 wins, 1 draw and 3 losses, so they have won 19 points out of 30 possible. In their home league matches the most frequent result at half-time was the 0-0 (6 out of 17 matches). The team allowed goals to the opponent in 8 of the last 10 matches for this competition, so it has not been very strong defensively. In their home matches there is a tendency for few goals, since 12 of the last 17 matches for this competition have ended with Under 2,5 goals. In 34 matches in the competition, they suffered the first goal 18 times and only managed 2 comebacks. In the last 17 home matches for this competition there is 1 period that stands out: they have scored 7 of their 20 goals between minutes (46’-60 ‘).

The Middlesbrough left for this match with a 3-3 draw against Sunderland, adding in this way the second consecutive game without losing in the championship. We remember that the moment of the home team is very irregular, since it has 4 losses and only 4 victories in the last 10 matches played. In this home game, coach Tony Pulis must play in the usual tactical system, that is, he will benefit the maintenance of possession and will attack in a more leisurely way: Downing has been the one responsible for creating and organizing the offensive process. It is important to underline that striker Britt Assombalonga is the best finalist of Middlesbrough in this competition, with 12 goals scored. For this game at home the coach can not count on Adama Traoré, who is suspended.

Leeds :

After 14 wins, 7 draws and 13 losses, the away team is currently in the 11 th position of the league, with 49 points won. In the last match, they have won at home against Brentford by (1-0), after in the previous match they have tied tied in an away match against Derby County, by (2-2). This is a team that usually makes good use of the home advantage, stronger with the help of its supporters, since in the last 30 matches they register 4 wins, 2 draws and 9 losses in away matches; against 7 wins, 3 draws and 5 losses at their stadium. For the league, Leeds United won 11 points out of 30 possible points, after 3 wins, 2 draws and 5 losses in the last 10 home matches. The team allowed goals to the opponent in 7 of the last 10 matches for this competition, so it was not very strong defensively. In 34 matches in this competition, they only got 1 comeback in the 14 matches they suffered the first goal.

The Leeds come to this game motivated, after having managed to return to the triumphs, to win at home against Brentford, 1-0: Cooper was the author of the only goal of the team. It is important to note that visitors have not won for 9 days in the championship. In this game away from home coach Paul Heckingbottom must keep the team at 4-2-3-1, being the most advanced position occupied by Lasogga: this player is the best marker of Leeds, with 10 goals scored. The defensive sector has been one of Leeds’s biggest problems away from home, as it suffered an average of 1.41 goals per game. Absences will not be a problem for this game.