Birmingham vs Middlesbrough predictions: Boro backed for another high-scoring win
Aaron Rogan
Only two teams have picked up more away points than Middlesbrough in the Championship this season
Boro have won three of their last four away games
Recommended bet: Middlesbrough to win and both teams to score
In early February, Middlesbrough’s surge put them top of the Championship ahead of a misfiring Coventry side.
However, Boro are winless in three games since taking the lead, and that has allowed the Sky Blues to open up a an eight-point gap at the summit.
Middlesbrough visit play-off chasing Birmingham City on Monday hoping to reduce the deficit to five points.
Team news
The hosts lost left-back Kai Wagner to injury in midweek, with Ethan Laird expected to step in on that flank. Jhon Solis was sent off in their 3-0 defeat at Millwall, ruling him out of this encounter.
Dael Fry is expected to return to the heart of Middlesbrough's defence for this trip, but the visitors remain without six players, including Sam Silvera and Leo Castledine.
The stats
Boro have kept only two away clean sheets all season, the last of which came at bottom side Sheffield Wednesday in October.
Birmingham City have scored in 15 of their 16 home league games.
The Blues have lost three of their four clashes with the top three.
The home side beat Coventry 3-2 in January, but that result came against the run of play during the Sky Blues' dip.
The visitors are winless in three, but they had won six in a row before that.
Birmingham head into this game after suffering their 11th defeat of the season at Millwall in midweek.
The latest Birmingham vs Middlesbrough odds are available on LiveScore Bet.
Prediction
Middlesbrough left four points on the table in home clashes with two of the bottom three, drawing with Oxford and Leicester.
The visitors will be aiming to return to winning ways on Monday, especially as their away form recently has been much better, winning three of their last four on the road
Birmingham have a solid home record, but they have yet to fully prove themselves against the best the Championship has to offer.
The Blues have lost three of their four clashes with the top three this season, while they had just 24% of the ball in a 3-2 win over Coventry earlier this year.
That victory came during Coventry’s slump, but the Sky Blues outshot their opponents 17 to 9.
Boro are slight outsiders here at 8/5, but they are more tempting at 33/10 on the win and both teams to score market.
The visitors have kept only two clean sheets on their travels this term, the last of which came at Sheffield Wednesday in October.
The Blues have failed to score only once at home this term, and they found the net in a 2-1 defeat at the Riverside in November.
With the hosts losing for the 11th time this season in midweek, back Boro to return to form in a high-scoring encounter.
Back Middlesbrough to win and both teams to score at 33/10 with LiveScore Bet
The latest Birmingham vs Middlesbrough odds are available on LiveScore Bet.
