Middlesbrough - Sunderland predictions

The online bookies marked Middlesbrough as the favourites, which makes a lot of sense. Still, we wouldn’t put Sunderland winning beyond them – not to mention that draws are a strong possibility in relatively balanced games.

It would be a minor miracle for Sunderland to win at Middlesbrough, and they’re likely aware of that. Though risky, such an outcome could bring solid profits thanks to the 3.65 price on most online sportsbooks.

We last saw Middlesbrough play against Birmingham City in a hard-fought away game. Championship betting odds were quite optimistic about their chances despite the home-field disadvantage, but neither side managed to convincingly pull ahead for the duration of the match.

Sunderland are here after a striking performance against Stoke City last round. Playing in front of their fans on their home turf, they established dominance in the first 45 minutes and turned it into a convincing 3:1 win.

Middlesbrough already have a victory over Sunderland on their record. It happened earlier in this running season of the Championship, marking them as the clear favourites for the upcoming showdown.

Fortunately, both teams will be able to give their all this Sunday. Neither squad has been affected by injuries or suspensions, allowing the coaches to work with all the tools at their disposal.

Despite the risks involved, the strongest prediction in terms of value is an HT/FT bet that the hosts will take lead in the second half. It’s as risky as you might expect, though the 2.07 odds offer a decent return.