Middlesbrough - Watford predictions

The home team is the obvious choice for anyone looking to bet on favourites. The match is not completely one-sided, though, which is why you may actually get worthwhile returns.

The away team’s chances of winning this Saturday are dubious at best. They are the clear underdogs in a matchup with Middlesbrough, and the fact that they’re the visiting team isn’t making things any easier.

Most online bookmakers expected The Boro to win the previous round with ease, and it seems they were right. They were playing as visitors at Cardiff City but were largely seen as the stronger team – which they proved to be true with an early lead and a match-long dominance.

Watford’s previous Championship match ended in victory, though it was a close one. Top online bookmakers considered them to have the upper hand against Sunderland going in. While the first half was inconclusive, they bagged a 1:0 home win.

The biggest issue the hosts have is a lacklustre backline. They’re currently on a bit of a trend of conceding a lot of goals – over 5 across their 3 previous matches, to be exact.

Watford have an excellent defensive track record at the moment with no concessions in their previous 3 home games. Although they’re playing without home-field advantage this Saturday, we would keep their rock-solid defence in mind for betting purposes.

Looking over the head-to-head statistics for this Championship season, the hosts already recorded a victory over . This puts them ahead of their opponents, which is reflected in the betting odds.

Saturday's matchup will see both teams at full strength, free of injuries and suspensions.

An Under 2.5 Goals bet is an easy tip to offer – it’s a fairly probable outcome with betting odds priced at a comfortable 2.25. More importantly, though, the betting value it offers is surprisingly solid.