Middlesbrough vs Watford Prediction & Betting Tips - Championship

Prediction published on 02/05/2024, 07:30  by Devesh Jaganath | Modified on 03/05/2024 at 23:30 in Championship Prediction

Middlesbrough and Watford will face off in their final match of the 2023-24 EFL Championship season at the Riverside Stadium on Saturday afternoon. The hosts are currently in eighth place, while the visitors are 14th. Both these sides have secured their Championship survival and will be playing to end the season on a positive note. Middlesbrough will likely be disappointed with their performance this term after making the playoffs last season. Heading into the final gameweek, they are on 66 points, nine fewer than their 75-point tally from last season. They are trailing sixth-placed West Brom by six points and are two points clear of Coventry in ninth place. Boro have ended the season very well, losing only one of their last 11 league games, which was a 4-3 defeat against Leeds United before they overcame Cardiff City 4-1 last weekend. The hosts have accumulated nine wins, four draws, and nine losses in 22 Championship matches played at home this season. They also won the reverse fixture 3-2 back in September and are the favourites in this one. 

Meanwhile, Watford have endured another mediocre season in the second division and will have to commence their rebuild during the offseason if they intend to challenge for promotion next term. They are on 56 points as it stands, 19 fewer than the tally they managed in 2022-23. The Hornets secured a 1-0 win over Sunderland last weekend, which brought an end to a six-match winless streak that included five draws and a loss. They also failed to score in three of their last five games during the run-in. In their league matches away from home this season, Watford have posted seven wins, eight draws, and seven losses. However, they're aiming to break a three-match away winless streak (W0 D2 L1), with their last away victory coming on March 16 against Birmingham City. At best, a win could see the hosts end the season in 13th place, while a loss may result in them ending the campaign in 16th.