Simon Dalton presents his prediction for the Championship match.
For the first time since Matchday 3, Bristol City have moved above Middlesbrough in the table, currently sitting in 8th place while their opponents are 11th. This is partly due to Middlesbrough's postponed fixture from Matchday 31, which they will have to replay just four days after this match. Michael Carrick will need to consider squad rotation carefully.
Bristol City
Bristol City have not been delivering spectacular results, but they rarely lose. Defeats do happen, but at a rate of only one in every five matches. At Ashton Gate, they have lost just once in their last six home games, winning four of them. In those fixtures, Bristol City have never conceded more than one goal, and three of those matches ended with clean sheets.
Middlesbrough
Middlesbrough’s drop in the table is not solely due to their postponed fixture but also a run of four consecutive defeats—something that had not happened to them earlier in this campaign. Their recent schedule has been tough, facing two teams above them in the table, Sunderland (2:3) and Sheffield United (1:3), as well as an in-form Preston North End (1:2) and a Watford side that leapfrogged them in the standings after beating them 1:0 in the last round.
Bristol City vs Middlesbrough Prediction
Bristol City are a strong opponent, particularly at home. They already defeated Middlesbrough at the Riverside (2:0) earlier in the season. However, a fifth straight loss would be unacceptable for Middlesbrough, and they will fight to break this negative streak. Instead of backing a straight home win, we are opting for a more cautious approach.
