There should be a significant difference in quality between these teams based on table positions so far, with Middlesbrough leading Birmingham City by 13 points.
- Middlesbrough has the fewest conceded goals (4) at home in Championship
- Birmingham City is in the worst form (0-1-5)
This should be an interesting game with lots of spark and energy as both teams are well rested since they last saw competitive action. Game on!
Middlesbrough form and stats
The home supporters can't complain about results here at Riverside Stadium as Middlesbrough, who have the fewest conceded goals (4) at home in Championship, have scored 15 goals to get 23 points from 10 games. The overall stats in the Championship are 7-2-1 (wins-draws-losses). Middlesbrough has won so many consecutive home games (four in a row) that they struggle to remember the last time points were lost here at Riverside Stadium. We remember; it was Norwich City.
Middlesbrough are hoping to put things right at home after a defeat in their previous match, the score 1-2 away versus Brentford. Before that match, a Championship win away at Wycombe Wanderers.
The home team are moderate favourites in this game. How does Middlesbrough handle that role? We have found 14 games in our database similar to this one, based on the home odds. The stats for these games are nine wins, three draws and two defeats.
The manager N. Warnock will start preparations for the next game as soon this is finished, as the hosts are going to Nottingham Forest in only four days.
Middlesbrough have proved capable of finding the net in their games here at Riverside Stadium with 15 goals in 10 league matches. Middlesbrough have showed great defending skills in these home games, allowing the opposition to score only 4 goals.
Birmingham City form and stats
Playing away, Birmingham City have won 3 games, drawn 6 and suffered 2 defeats in the Championship this season.
The attacking players of Birmingham City have been feeble for some time now, the team not scoring a league goal in the last 345 minutes.
It might be tough going out on the road again for Birmingham, facing their second straight away game. Especially as the previous game, ended with a defeat 0-3 versus Manchester City. Preceding that, the 0-2 home loss versus Blackburn Rovers.
Birmingham City did not look prepared in the first half against Manchester City and lost the game during the first 45 minutes. They need to evaluate their pre-match routine before this one.
We have checked recent matches where Birmingham City have had similar odds to win. Win-draw-lose statistics from those 16 games were five victories, two draws and nine defeats.
A quick return to home after this game, as Birmingham are hosting Preston North End in the Championship only four days away.
The attacking power of Birmingham when travelling is not overwhelming with 9 goals scored from 11 league matches away. It's not easy to score on Birmingham as they have only conceded 8 goals from these away games. It's worth mentioning that 4 of these goals has been conceded in their last 3 away matches.
Head 2 Head
The last H2H meeting was Birmingham City - Middlesbrough 1-4, played this season. Head-2-head stats last ten meetings: five - four - one (Middlesbrough wins - draws - Birmingham City wins). As for goals, four matches ended with three or more goals (over 2,5), six had two or less.Top Goalscorers
  D. Watmore 5 goals |  B. Assombalonga 4 goals |  C. Akpom 4 goals |
Middlesbrough missing players
Birmingham City missing players
| Middlesbrough | Birmingham City | ||||||
| Total | Home | vs | Statistics | Stat | vs | Away | Total |
| 22 | 10 | 3 | Played | P | 4 | 11 | 23 |
| 10 | 7 | 3 | Won | W | 1 | 3 | 5 |
| 6 | 2 | 0 | Drew | D | 2 | 6 | 8 |
| 6 | 1 | 0 | Lost | L | 1 | 2 | 10 |
| 28 | 15 | 7 | Scored | S | 3 | 9 | 17 |
| 18 | 4 | 0 | Conceded | C | 3 | 8 | 29 |
| 86% | 90% | 100% | Over 0.5 | O 0.5 | 75% | 64% | 78% |
| 59% | 60% | 67% | Over 1.5 | O 1.5 | 50% | 45% | 57% |
| 41% | 40% | 67% | Over 2.5 | O 2.5 | 25% | 27% | 39% |
| 14% | 0% | 0% | Over 3.5 | O 3.5 | 0% | 9% | 17% |
| 9% | 0% | 0% | Over 4.5 | O 4.5 | 0% | 9% | 9% |
| 41% | 30% | 0% | BTTS | BTTS | 50% | 45% | 48% |
| 41% | 60% | 100% | Clean Sheets | C S | 25% | 45% | 30% |
| 32% | 20% | 0% | Failed to Score | F T | 50% | 45% | 43% |
| 0 | 0 | 0 | Corners for (avg) | C F | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 0 | 0 | 0 | Corners against (avg) | C A | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1.5 | 1.6 | 0.7 | Yellow cards (avg) | Y C | 3 | 1.8 | 1.7 |
| 1 | 1 | 0 | Red cards | R C | 2 | 2 | 3 |
| 11.9 | 11.9 | 12.7 | Shots (avg) | S ( | 6.2 | 9.2 | 9.3 |
| 3.1 | 4 | 4.7 | Shots on Target (avg) | S O | 2 | 2.6 | 2.3 |
| 41% | 38% | 50% | Goal Efficiency | G E | 38% | 31% | 31% |
- Birmingham City has the most dropped points from leading position (16) in Championship
- Birmingham City is in the worst form (0-1-5)
- Middlesbrough has the fewest conceded goals (4) at home in Championship
- Middlesbrough have scored at least twice as many goals as they have conceded at home.
| Total | Home | Away | |||||||||||||||||||
| # | Team | MP | W | D | L | F | A | MP | W | D | L | F | A | MP | W | D | L | F | A | +/- | P |
| 1 | Norwich City | 23 | 14 | 5 | 4 | 31 | 20 | 12 | 7 | 4 | 1 | 15 | 8 | 11 | 7 | 1 | 3 | 16 | 12 | 11 | 47 |
| 2 | Swansea City | 23 | 12 | 7 | 4 | 27 | 13 | 12 | 7 | 4 | 1 | 15 | 5 | 11 | 5 | 3 | 3 | 12 | 8 | 14 | 43 |
| 3 | AFC Bournemouth | 22 | 11 | 8 | 3 | 37 | 18 | 10 | 7 | 2 | 1 | 20 | 8 | 12 | 4 | 6 | 2 | 17 | 10 | 19 | 41 |
| 4 | Brentford | 22 | 11 | 8 | 3 | 36 | 21 | 11 | 5 | 5 | 1 | 18 | 11 | 11 | 6 | 3 | 2 | 18 | 10 | 15 | 41 |
| 5 | Reading | 23 | 12 | 4 | 7 | 34 | 28 | 11 | 7 | 0 | 4 | 16 | 12 | 12 | 5 | 4 | 3 | 18 | 16 | 6 | 40 |
| 6 | Watford | 22 | 10 | 7 | 5 | 25 | 17 | 11 | 8 | 2 | 1 | 20 | 9 | 11 | 2 | 5 | 4 | 5 | 8 | 8 | 37 |
| 7 | Middlesbrough | 22 | 10 | 6 | 6 | 28 | 18 | 10 | 7 | 2 | 1 | 15 | 4 | 12 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 13 | 14 | 10 | 36 |
| 8 | Stoke City | 23 | 9 | 8 | 6 | 26 | 22 | 12 | 5 | 3 | 4 | 17 | 17 | 11 | 4 | 5 | 2 | 9 | 5 | 4 | 35 |
| 9 | Barnsley | 23 | 10 | 4 | 9 | 27 | 29 | 11 | 6 | 2 | 3 | 14 | 11 | 12 | 4 | 2 | 6 | 13 | 18 | -2 | 34 |
| 10 | Bristol City | 22 | 10 | 3 | 9 | 23 | 24 | 11 | 5 | 2 | 4 | 10 | 10 | 11 | 5 | 1 | 5 | 13 | 14 | -1 | 33 |
| 11 | Blackburn Rovers | 23 | 9 | 5 | 9 | 38 | 27 | 11 | 5 | 3 | 3 | 18 | 12 | 12 | 4 | 2 | 6 | 20 | 15 | 11 | 32 |
| 12 | Preston North End | 23 | 10 | 2 | 11 | 30 | 31 | 12 | 4 | 1 | 7 | 10 | 13 | 11 | 6 | 1 | 4 | 20 | 18 | -1 | 32 |
| 13 | Huddersfield Town | 23 | 9 | 4 | 10 | 28 | 32 | 12 | 7 | 1 | 4 | 17 | 11 | 11 | 2 | 3 | 6 | 11 | 21 | -4 | 31 |
| 14 | Luton Town | 22 | 8 | 6 | 8 | 20 | 24 | 11 | 5 | 4 | 2 | 15 | 11 | 11 | 3 | 2 | 6 | 5 | 13 | -4 | 30 |
| 15 | Cardiff City | 22 | 8 | 5 | 9 | 29 | 25 | 11 | 4 | 2 | 5 | 18 | 14 | 11 | 4 | 3 | 4 | 11 | 11 | 4 | 29 |
| 16 | Coventry City | 23 | 6 | 8 | 9 | 22 | 31 | 11 | 4 | 5 | 2 | 12 | 13 | 12 | 2 | 3 | 7 | 10 | 18 | -9 | 26 |
| 17 | Millwall | 21 | 5 | 10 | 6 | 18 | 20 | 11 | 1 | 7 | 3 | 9 | 12 | 10 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 9 | 8 | -2 | 25 |
| 18 | Birmingham City | 23 | 5 | 8 | 10 | 17 | 29 | 12 | 2 | 2 | 8 | 8 | 21 | 11 | 3 | 6 | 2 | 9 | 8 | -12 | 23 |
| 19 | Nottingham Forest | 23 | 5 | 7 | 11 | 16 | 26 | 11 | 3 | 4 | 4 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 2 | 3 | 7 | 6 | 15 | -10 | 22 |
| 20 | Queens Park Rangers | 22 | 4 | 9 | 9 | 20 | 30 | 11 | 3 | 4 | 4 | 11 | 13 | 11 | 1 | 5 | 5 | 9 | 17 | -10 | 21 |
| 21 | Sheffield Wednesday | 23 | 6 | 7 | 10 | 15 | 23 | 12 | 4 | 5 | 3 | 9 | 8 | 11 | 2 | 2 | 7 | 6 | 15 | -8 | 19 |
| 22 | Derby County | 22 | 4 | 7 | 11 | 14 | 24 | 11 | 1 | 4 | 6 | 5 | 14 | 11 | 3 | 3 | 5 | 9 | 10 | -10 | 19 |
| 23 | Rotherham United | 20 | 4 | 4 | 12 | 19 | 29 | 10 | 3 | 2 | 5 | 12 | 12 | 10 | 1 | 2 | 7 | 7 | 17 | -10 | 16 |
| 24 | Wycombe Wanderers | 23 | 3 | 6 | 14 | 16 | 35 | 12 | 2 | 4 | 6 | 8 | 14 | 11 | 1 | 2 | 8 | 8 | 21 | -19 | 15 |
- Middlesbrough FC
- Teesside Live - (local newspaper)
- The Northern Echo - (local newspaper)
- Birmingham City
- Birmingham Mail - (local newspaper)