Stoke City vs. Middlesbrough - (17/08/2022) - Match Preview, Key Facts, Team News, Prediction - Championship - svmondal

MATCH INFO

Start date: 18 Aug 2022 00:15

Location: Stoke Venue: bet365 Stadium

On Wednesday night, Middlesbrough and Stoke City will face a game at the bet365 Stadium. Both teams have had rocky beginnings to the season.

The teams are currently in 16th and 19th place in the Championship rankings, respectively, with just one victory in their first three games.

Match Preview

Despite the difficult tripleheaders that his previous side had against West Bromwich Albion, Queens Park Rangers, and Sheffield United, Wilder could see signs that his team was beginning to gel.

Salvaging a point from their encounter against the Blades on Sunday may be crucial for momentum since their goals in the 2-2 draw at the Riverside Stadium came from Chuba Akpom, a player who appeared to be leaving the club.

There seems to be plenty of work ahead for Wilder despite having overseen nine incomings so far if Akpom stays at the club as he has intimated. Wilder may have to arrange further outgoings to balance the team.

The most recent of these is Alex Mowatt, a midfielder on loan from West Bromwich Albion who can make a difference in the center of the field.

Stoke saw the road to losing Huddersfield Town on Saturday as the ideal chance to cement their place in the top six.

However, the Potters missed several chances at the John Smith's Stadium, including a penalty in the first half. Michael O'Neill was left extremely let down by a 3-1 loss in Yorkshire.

The Northern Irishman would have been expecting better than three points from his team's debut tripleheader. Pressure remains on the Potters manager to get things right, given the extensive alterations to his first-team players.

Following back-to-back home games against Boro and Sunderland, Stoke will have the difficult task of traveling to league-leaders Blackburn Rovers on 27 August.

Key Facts

• Stoke City scored less than 1.5 goals in each of their last 12 Championship home games against Middlesbrough.
• Stoke City has scored less than 1.5 goals in 8 of the last 9 home games.
• Stoke City has not won in 8 of the last 9 Championship home games against Middlesbrough.
• Middlesbrough has not scored in 5 of the last 6 away games against Stoke City.
• Middlesbrough has scored less than 2.5 goals in 11 of the last 12 away games.
• Stoke City has yellow cards less than 2.5 times in 9 of the last 10 home games.
• Middlesbrough has conceded in 8 of the last 9 away games.
• There have been less than 4.5 yellow cards in each of the last 8 Stoke City home games.
• Middlesbrough has yellow cards less than 2.5 times in 7 of the last 8 away games.
• Middlesbrough has scored and conceded in each of their last 5 Championship away games.
• Stoke City has sent less than 4.5 corner kicks in 5 of the last 6 home games.

Team News

Stoke manager O'Neill must choose whether to maintain teenage defender Tom Sparrow at right wing-back while Harry Clarke is out for several weeks.

As an option, Ben Wilmot might serve as a temporary wing-back until Phil Jagielka is reinstated to the back three.

It is anticipated that Tyrese Campbell would replace Dwight Gayle or Jacob Brown in the starting lineup.

Dael Fry may keep his place in the Middlesbrough starting lineup after only being substituted for tactical reasons at halftime against Sheffield United.

Matthew Hoppe is vying to start an attack, maybe in place of Akpom, who has been replaced due to an injury in the previous game.

We say: Stoke City 1-2 Middlesbrough

At some point, the likelihood is that forward lines with plenty of quality will eventually find some form, and that could be the case on Wednesday. However, we feel that there is a greater vulnerability about Stoke, leading us to predict a narrow victory for the visitors.