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Middlesbrough vs Stoke Prediction & Betting tips
The opening match of round 23 of the Championship is played between two highly underperforming teams in the form of Middlesbrough and Stoke City. Both teams are dangling around the relegation line and must seriously consider relegation this season.
Middlesbrough:
Middlesbrough has come to Swansea City, battered from the competition. Not only was there lost, for the ninth time this season, also the central midfield duo did not make it to the final signal. Both Paddy McNair and Marcus Browne had to hit with a direct red card. Browne’s red card in particular came at an extremely unfortunate moment. The midfielder had a 1-0 deficit in the field after 51 minutes for Adam Clayton. 22-year-old Browne then saw that Marcus Tavernier tied the score, but had to press shortly after a foul on Mike van der Hoorn. Twenty minutes later, meanwhile at a 3-1 score, it was McNair who was allowed to shower after an elbow punch.
Jonathan Woodgate will have to improvise in midfield this Friday. For a moment, Boro’s coach had hoped that the red card of the Northern Irish would be dropped, but Middlesbrough was told a clear “no” by the FA. McNair will now be missed both against Stoke City and in the coming weeks against Huddersfield Town and frontrunner West Bromwich Albion.
Stoke City:
Unlike Middlesbrough, which is still just above the relegation line with the 20th place, Stoke City is in the worrying lower regions of the Championship. With eighteen points, The Potters are in a disappointing 22nd place and the two points ahead of red lantern wearer Barnsley is certainly not to be called sizzling. So work on the shop for Michael O’Neill and his men. The way to the top seems to have started somewhat, because after three losses in a row,Stoke won no less than four points in the past two games.
For O’Neill, it is to be hoped that this trend will continue, because a club with the caliber of Stoke City can be expected to play at least on the second level of England. The last time The Potters played at a level lower in the 1992-93 season. Stoke promoted that season as a champion with a series of 25 games without defeat. From that moment on, Stoke City has often camped in the Premier League and after ten consecutive seasons at the highest level in England, The Potters relegated to the Championship after the 2017-18 season.
Middlesbrough vs Stoke head to head matches
19.04.19 CHA Middlesbrough Stoke 1 : 0
03.11.18 CHA Stoke Middlesbrough 0 : 0
04.03.17 PL Stoke Middlesbrough 2 : 0
13.08.16 PL Middlesbrough Stoke 1 : 1
21.03.09 PL Stoke Middlesbrough 1 : 0