EFL Championship betting tips: Middlesbrough set to bounce back at Bristol City
- George Dempsey
- 9 April 2023
Bristol City remain one of the form teams in 2023, but visitors Middlesbrough can’t afford another slip-up as they cling on to their slim automatic promotion hopes.
Date, KO time and TV coverage
Championship, Monday, April 10, kick-off 5:30pm, live on Sky Sports
Predicted score
Key stats
Suggested bets
Verdict
Bristol City were unbeaten in their first 11 games of2023, and they responded well to defeats against Cardiff and Manchester City.
Nigel Pearson has come under fire from supporters throughout his reign, but despite the inconsistencies, his young and talented side have found their feet, going unbeaten in 15 of 19.
Expectations at the Riverside are very different to those at Ashton Gate, and back-to-back defeats to Huddersfield and Burnley mean the play-offs loom large.
While their form is far from disastrous, 10 points from a possible 21 has opened the door to allow a previously faltering Sheffield United to pull away.
Boro currently find themselves eight points behind the surging Blades and if they have any chance of automatic promotion, they can't afford another slip-up.
However, they've yet to lose three games in a row under Michael Carrick, and Ashton Gate is far from a fortress for their hosts.
The Robins are bursting at the seams with bright young talent at the moment, but with inexperience comes inconsistency. They're unbeaten in seven at home but prior to that were winless in six.
Millwall, West Brom, and Sheffield United all managed to leave Bristol with all three points during that period and it's plausible that a desperate Middlesbrough side also have too much firepower for them.
The Teeside club have notched at least two goals in a majority of their away games this season. Chuba Akpom is responsible for eight of those 35 away goals.
It's worth acknowledging that regardless of form, we've reached the stage of the season where teams with little to play for start to wind down - motivation is key and star players step up to the mark.
