Middlesbrough vs Cardiff City match preview: Even contest expected at Riverside Stadium

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Competition: England Championship
Competition: Sat 18.July
Match begins: 14:00 (UTC)
Venue: Riverside Stadium (34988 seats)

Struggling Middlesbrough will be hoping to pull off an upset when they welcome high-flying Cardiff City in the upcoming league round. It’s 17th vs 6th and the home crowd will have moderate expectations.

It’s busy days for these teams as both were in action only a few days ago. There’s no rest for the wicked, or in this case; no rest for Middlesbrough and Cardiff City.

Middlesbrough are fighting like crazy to avoid relegation and desperately need points in this fixture. Cardiff are still fighting for top positions and their benefits.

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Middlesbrough form and stats

Middlesbrough have collected 26 points from their Championship home games so far after 6-8-8. With nine home Championship games in a row without a win, the Middlesbrough fans could feel they are not getting value for their money. It remains to be seen whether this unfortunate streak, which started after the Huddersfield Town game long ago, can be stopped today.

Middlesbrough are returning here after visiting Reading in a Championship game and winning with a 2-1 scoreline. Patrick Roberts and Ashley Fletcher scored the goal(s). Preceding that match was a defeat to Bristol City (1-3).

This is expected to be a close game, with Middlesbrough perhaps considered small favourites due to their home advantage. Looking back at earlier matches similar to this one (expected to be close with Middlesbrough as a small favourite), we find ten games. Middlesbrough has won one of these, drawn four and lost five.

Middlesbrough are traveling soon after this match as the Championship match at Sheffield Wednesday awaits in four days.

The goals haven't exactly been flowing for Middlesbrough here at Riverside Stadium in the league, with less than one goal per game on average (19 from 22 games). Middlesbrough have conceded 26 in these home matches.

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Cardiff City form and stats

Playing away, Cardiff City have won 7 games, drawn 7 and suffered 8 defeats in the Championship this season.

Cardiff are travelling after their nice 2-1 home win in the Championship against Derby County (placed 11th). Preceding that game, the 0-2 loss visiting Fulham's place.

So, this is expected to be a close game, an even contest. Looking at earlier matches with Cardiff City playing away and similar expectations, we found nine relevant matches. Results were three Cardiff wins, four draws and two defeats.

A new game in only four days for Cardiff, the Championship home match versus Hull City. Busy days.

Cardiff have a decent goal production going in their away games, although not fantastic. In 22 league away games 30 goals have been scored. In the opposite end, Cardiff have conceded 36 goals in their away games.

Head 2 Head

The most recent history between these sides is the Cardiff City - Middlesbrough 1-0 played earlier this season. H2H stats regardless of arena (last ten matches): Middlesbrough four wins, zero draws and Cardiff City six victories. As for goals, three matches ended with three or more goals (over 2,5), seven games had two or less.

Top Goalscorers

MiddlesbroughA. Fletcher
A. Fletcher
10 goals
MiddlesbroughB. Assombalonga
B. Assombalonga
8 goals
Cardiff CityL. Tomlin
L. Tomlin
8 goals

Middlesbrough missing players

Cardiff City missing players

Total First Half Second Half
Middlesbrough Cardiff City
Total Home vs top Statistics Stat vs low Away Total
44 22 7 Played P 7 22 44
12 6 0 Won W 3 7 17
14 8 3 Drew D 3 7 16
18 8 4 Lost L 1 8 11
45 19 3 Scored S 11 30 62
57 26 9 Conceded C 7 36 57
95% 95% 86% Over 0.5 O 0.5 100% 95% 91%
61% 50% 43% Over 1.5 O 1.5 86% 77% 73%
39% 32% 29% Over 2.5 O 2.5 43% 55% 50%
27% 23% 14% Over 3.5 O 3.5 29% 36% 30%
7% 5% 0% Over 4.5 O 4.5 0% 18% 16%
45% 45% 29% BTTS BTTS 43% 55% 57%
27% 27% 14% Clean Sheets C S 43% 27% 30%
32% 32% 71% Failed to Score F T 14% 23% 23%
 
5.5 5.6 5.9 Corners for (avg) C F 6.6 5.2 4.8
5.5 5.2 5.1 Corners against (avg) C A 4.9 5.9 5.6
1.6 1.5 1.6 Yellow cards (avg) Y C 1.4 1.5 1.5
4 1 0 Red cards R C 0 1 2
 
525 297 106 Total Shots T S 76 256 521
145 75 24 Shots on Target S O 25 83 163
31% 25% 12% Goal Efficiency G E 44% 36% 38%
Key stats in Championship this season:
  • Cardiff City have played more matches over 2,5 goals away than home.
  • Middlesbrough has the fewest scored goals (45)

  Total Home Away  
# Team MP W D L F A MP W D L F A MP W D L F A +/- P
1 Leeds United 44 26 9 9 70 34 22 14 5 3 36 14 22 12 4 6 34 20 36 87
2 West Bromwich Albion 45 22 16 7 75 43 22 10 9 3 42 25 23 12 7 4 33 18 32 82
3 Brentford 44 24 9 11 79 35 22 14 5 3 43 16 22 10 4 8 36 19 44 81
4 Fulham 44 22 11 11 58 44 22 14 2 6 35 23 22 8 9 5 23 21 14 77
5 Nottingham Forest 44 18 16 10 57 45 22 10 5 7 26 23 22 8 11 3 31 22 12 70
6 Cardiff City 44 17 16 11 62 57 22 10 9 3 32 21 22 7 7 8 30 36 5 67
7 Millwall 44 16 17 11 50 46 22 9 8 5 29 24 22 7 9 6 21 22 4 65
8 Swansea City 44 16 16 12 57 52 22 9 5 8 26 23 22 7 11 4 31 29 5 64
9 Preston North End 44 17 11 16 56 53 22 11 4 7 37 29 22 6 7 9 19 24 3 62
10 Bristol City 44 17 11 16 59 63 22 8 6 8 29 32 22 9 5 8 30 31 -4 62
11 Derby County 44 16 13 15 58 60 22 11 8 3 32 18 22 5 5 12 26 42 -2 61
12 Blackburn Rovers 44 16 12 16 60 57 22 9 9 4 29 21 22 7 3 12 31 36 3 60
13 Wigan Athletic 44 15 12 17 54 53 22 10 6 6 32 22 22 5 6 11 22 31 1 57
14 Reading 44 15 11 18 55 50 22 7 4 11 25 30 22 8 7 7 30 20 5 56
15 Sheffield Wednesday 44 15 11 18 54 59 22 7 7 8 18 28 22 8 4 10 36 31 -5 56
16 Queens Park Rangers 44 15 9 20 61 71 22 8 5 9 38 39 22 7 4 11 23 32 -10 54
17 Huddersfield Town 45 13 12 20 51 66 23 8 6 9 26 30 22 5 6 11 25 36 -15 51
18 Stoke City 44 14 8 22 57 67 22 10 3 9 35 26 22 4 5 13 22 41 -10 50
19 Middlesbrough 44 12 14 18 45 57 22 6 8 8 19 26 22 6 6 10 26 31 -12 50
20 Birmingham City 44 12 14 18 53 70 22 6 7 9 32 39 22 6 7 9 21 31 -17 50
21 Charlton Athletic 44 12 11 21 48 59 22 8 5 9 26 25 22 4 6 12 22 34 -11 47
22 Hull City 44 12 9 23 57 83 22 7 3 12 29 36 22 5 6 11 28 47 -26 45
23 Luton Town 44 12 9 23 50 80 22 7 7 8 30 35 22 5 2 15 20 45 -30 45
24 Barnsley 44 10 13 21 46 68 22 6 9 7 28 33 22 4 4 14 18 35 -22 43

Middlesbrough:
Cardiff City:
Championship:
England:
Table
  Total Home Away  
# Team MP W D L F A MP W D L F A MP W D L F A +/- P
1 Leeds United 44 26 9 9 70 34 22 14 5 3 36 14 22 12 4 6 34 20 36 87
2 West Bromwich Albion 45 22 16 7 75 43 22 10 9 3 42 25 23 12 7 4 33 18 32 82
3 Brentford 44 24 9 11 79 35 22 14 5 3 43 16 22 10 4 8 36 19 44 81
4 Fulham 44 22 11 11 58 44 22 14 2 6 35 23 22 8 9 5 23 21 14 77
5 Nottingham Forest 44 18 16 10 57 45 22 10 5 7 26 23 22 8 11 3 31 22 12 70
6 Cardiff City 44 17 16 11 62 57 22 10 9 3 32 21 22 7 7 8 30 36 5 67
7 Millwall 44 16 17 11 50 46 22 9 8 5 29 24 22 7 9 6 21 22 4 65
8 Swansea City 44 16 16 12 57 52 22 9 5 8 26 23 22 7 11 4 31 29 5 64
9 Preston North End 44 17 11 16 56 53 22 11 4 7 37 29 22 6 7 9 19 24 3 62
10 Bristol City 44 17 11 16 59 63 22 8 6 8 29 32 22 9 5 8 30 31 -4 62
11 Derby County 44 16 13 15 58 60 22 11 8 3 32 18 22 5 5 12 26 42 -2 61
12 Blackburn Rovers 44 16 12 16 60 57 22 9 9 4 29 21 22 7 3 12 31 36 3 60
13 Wigan Athletic 44 15 12 17 54 53 22 10 6 6 32 22 22 5 6 11 22 31 1 57
14 Reading 44 15 11 18 55 50 22 7 4 11 25 30 22 8 7 7 30 20 5 56
15 Sheffield Wednesday 44 15 11 18 54 59 22 7 7 8 18 28 22 8 4 10 36 31 -5 56
16 Queens Park Rangers 44 15 9 20 61 71 22 8 5 9 38 39 22 7 4 11 23 32 -10 54
17 Huddersfield Town 45 13 12 20 51 66 23 8 6 9 26 30 22 5 6 11 25 36 -15 51
18 Stoke City 44 14 8 22 57 67 22 10 3 9 35 26 22 4 5 13 22 41 -10 50
19 Middlesbrough 44 12 14 18 45 57 22 6 8 8 19 26 22 6 6 10 26 31 -12 50
20 Birmingham City 44 12 14 18 53 70 22 6 7 9 32 39 22 6 7 9 21 31 -17 50
21 Charlton Athletic 44 12 11 21 48 59 22 8 5 9 26 25 22 4 6 12 22 34 -11 47
22 Hull City 44 12 9 23 57 83 22 7 3 12 29 36 22 5 6 11 28 47 -26 45
23 Luton Town 44 12 9 23 50 80 22 7 7 8 30 35 22 5 2 15 20 45 -30 45
24 Barnsley 44 10 13 21 46 68 22 6 9 7 28 33 22 4 4 14 18 35 -22 43

More from England - Championship

Read more about Championship

The English Football League Championship (usually shortened to the Championship) is the second highest division in the English football league system. 24 teams play 46 fixtures from August to May, meeting each other twice. The Championship is the wealthiest second-level division in the world.