Middlesbrough vs Norwich predictions: Lankshear can fire Boro to entertaining win
R Kilvington
Middlesbrough have won three of their first five Championship matches
Norwich have won back-to-back league matches entering this clash
Recommended bet: Middlesbrough to win, Will Lankshear to score and both teams to score @ 3.9/1 with LiveScore Bet
Middlesbrough and Norwich face off at the Riverside on Saturday afternoon with just a point separating the two in the table.
Boro will have been disappointed to have lost to Blackburn in their second game but they have still won three of the first five Championship outings to lie in sixth place in the standings, with a game in hand on the five teams above them.
The Canaries began their league campaign with two successive defeats, but have bounced back, winning three of the next four to get the promotion push going.
Team news
Middlesbrough only have one injury absentee, Jeremy Sarmiento, who has not featured since the 3-1 win over West Brom.
Ali Ahmed, Lucien Mahovo and Mirko Topic have all been ruled out through injury for Norwich, although boss Philippe Clement could be tempted to keep faith with the same starting XI that overcame Birmingham 2-1 in midweek anyway.
The latest Middlesbrough vs Norwich odds are available on LiveScore Bet
The stats
Middlesbrough are unbeaten in their last nine meetings with Norwich, winning six of those games, including both last season; 1-0 at the Riverside and 2-1 at Carrow Road.
Both teams have scored in six of the last eight meetings between the two.
Six of Norwich’s eight games in all competitions have seen both teams scoring, while four of Boro’s five league games this term have seen both teams finding the back of the net.
Will Lankshear has begun the season in wonderful fashion, scoring seven goals in his eight appearances this season, including five in five Championship games.
Norwich have scored 10 goals so far in the Championship with six different players finding the back of the net — Mohamed Toure leads the way with three goals in five games.
The latest Middlesbrough vs Norwich odds are available on LiveScore Bet
Prediction
Both of these clubs will be eyeing promotion this season and Saturday's game is a chance to lay down a marker.
Boro have perhaps not started all guns blazing but three wins out of five with only one defeat certainly indicates their potential strength, and another win over Norwich will provide a further confidence boost.
Clement has got his side back into play-off contention after a poor start, but a trip to Boro is arguably their biggest test of the league campaign so far.
Lankshear has proven to be an inspired signing and could spur Boro towards another Championship victory this Saturday, although do not expect Norwich to go down without a fight, having bagged 10 goals so far this season.
Score prediction: Middlesbrough 2-1 Norwich
