Last chance?

The EFL Championship is entering the decisive phase. A win can make a big difference. A defeat even more. Not only Middlesbrough and Norwich, but also the betting odds and assessments are in this area of tension.

As Premier League contenders in the recent past, both clubs still have some reserves. What separates them, however, are their venue preferences. Boro are 17th in the home table and the Canaries 18th in the away table. That makes the predictions for Middlesbrough and Norwich a complex affair.

When it comes to recent performances, Middlesbrough vs Norwich odds are heavily leveraged. The Reds have lost four out of five games, while the Green and Yellows have won three out of five. That clearly contradicts the oddsmakers’ predictions

Middlesbrough – statistics & current form

The hosts are a very interesting proposition when betting on goals. In their 34 appearances to date, they have a goal difference of 47 goals scored and 51 goals conceded, an average of just under 2.9 goals.

In terms of offense, there are several stocks that could be worth betting on. Sam Greenwood (5 goals + 3 assists), Isaiah Jones, Marcus Forss (5 + 2 each) and Josh Coburn (5+1) lead the line. But that was by no means all. In total, 14 players contributed to at least two goals

The reason for this may be the style of play. Boro try to take control of the game with short passes and a lot of activity in the opponent’s half. Ideally, this results in a lot of counter-attacks and hole passes, for which the men from the Riverside are feared.

The zero rarely stands

But if the best-case scenario described above does not occur, then the Reds have a problem. Specifically, of course, this means the defense, which is just above the relegation places in the goal table with the aforementioned 51 conceded.

Above all, their own medicine does not seem to be working, as the hosts are extremely susceptible to counter-attacks. The set-pieces in particular are an absolute problem and are probably one of the club’s most unpleasant construction sites.

With just six wins in a total of 17 home games and 17:20 goals scored, the engine at the Riverside is stuck and the visitors are cheering far too often. Fittingly, the last home win in the league dates back to December 23, 2023. With these problems, a goalless game can still be ruled out.

Predicted Middlesbrough line-up:

Norwich – Statistics & current form

Should the hosts pull themselves together a little, they can still rely on the visitors in their colorful plumage. The Canaries have already scored 60 goals in 35 games.

David Wagner’s side prefer the direct approach above all. Attacks through the middle are forced. Why? Because they also like to shoot from distance. This applies to both set pieces and the running game.

This may also be one of the reasons why midfielder Gabriel Sara (9 goals + 5 assists) and defenders Dimitris Giannoulis (4+5) and Jack Stacey (4+5) top the internal scoring charts. The combination of red defense and yellow attack is probably a good one to put on the betting slip

Norwich’s defense is outlawed

While a canary is pretty, it’s not sturdy. Unfortunately, the defense has repeatedly taken an example from the heraldic animal. There’s probably no other explanation for the 51 goals conceded. They even make Boro look (more) stable.

Few teams in the Championship are so prone to letting a lead slip from their grasp. There are several reasons for this. Of course, individual mistakes, and these happen time and again, can quickly lead to a counter-attack. However, both defending and set pieces are a weak point for the Birds.

Incidentally, this combination seems to weaken them in away games in particular. They have eight defeats in 17 appearances. With 28:33 goals, they are at least entertaining. So goals should definitely be expected. Whether there is a winner will ultimately be decided by the error rate.

Predicted Norwich line-up:

Middlesbrough – Norwich head-to-head comparison / H2H record

In the direct duel, the score is 3:6 per Norwich after the last ten games. There has also been one 0-0 draw, but the overall score is 9:10, with seven of the nine wins coming by just one goal difference (5x 1:0). So when studying the odds on Middlesbrough and Norwich, a bet on a goal avalanche looks rather dangerous, but the H2h results from the older past are a worse indicator than goal statistics from the current season

Middlesbrough – Norwich betting tip

If you lump all statistics together, you end up with a rather uncertain game. Cautious home offense meets bird-wild Canaries. That’s the usual prediction for Middlesbrough v Norwich. Weak home form also meets weakness away from home. Many victories in direct duels with few goals (contrary to the current trend) and a weak phase for the home side. It looks a bit like a crisis summit

Although the bookmakers favor tip 1 for Middlesbrough vs Norwich, it seems rather unlikely with the given data. Boro would be nominally strong, but they are currently going through a weak phase.

Draws or a narrow away win seem more tangible. Scoring bets, such as those offered by one or two new betting providers, make sense in parallel, but only if they are set low