Stoke City vs Middlesbrough Predictions

• Stoke have won five of their last six Championship matches
• Middlesbrough are recording the strongest expected goal numbers in the Championship this season
• Stoke conceded 30 shots in a 2-1 victory over Bolton on Saturday

Boro can bank another three points

Middlesbrough picked up a big win when beating Wolves 1-0 at the Riverside on Saturday and the Championship promotion hopefuls can follow up by beating Stoke on Tuesday night. 

It was not a spectacular success for Boro at the weekend, but Wolves are a good side and they were limited to an expected goals figure of 0.68 by Kim Hellberg’s men. 

The Teessiders had previously been held to a pair of 2-2 draws by Millwall and Birmingham, but Boro were clearly the better side at St Andrews and Hellberg’s side won the shot count 22-11 in the tie with the Lions. 

The Championship season is only nine games in, but Middlesbrough are already putting up the best xG in the second tier and they look vastly superior to Stoke.

The Potters have won five of their last six Championship matches, but four of those triumphs have been single-goal margin victories and the results of Mark Robins’ men are far prettier than their performances. 

Stoke were hampered by Maksym Talovierov’s early red card when beating Bolton 2-1 at the weekend, but the Potters still conceded 30 shots and ten corners in a grueling contest. 

Boro rate banker material in this spot.