Will Boro miss out again?

There is still no preliminary decision in the Championship in the race for the starting places for the promotion play-offs. Many teams still have realistic hopes of finishing the season in the top six, including Norwich City. The Canaries are in eighth place after 41 matchdays.

Only a single point currently separates Norwich from a place in the play-offs. Therefore, the six remaining second-round matches are all the more important for the Canaries – including the upcoming match against in-form Boro. The best bookmakers are currently offering betting odds of up to 3.80 on Friday’s match between Middlesbrough vs. Norwich for tip 2.

Surprising all the same, as the hosts Middlesbrough FC are currently in a crisis of form. Not only have MFC not won any of their last three league games. In two of the last three matches, Boro also walked off the pitch as losers.

Norwich have lost just one of their last eight competitive games against Middlesbrough FC since April 2015. That defeat came in the first leg of the current season, before which the Canaries had gone unbeaten against Boro seven times in a row. Our Middlesbrough vs. Norwich prediction therefore also aims for a point win for the visitors.

Middlesbrough – Statistics & current form

With just a few matchdays to go, Middlesbrough FC have folded and squandered any momentum in the promotion race. With a mini-crisis in the Championship – MFC remained winless for three consecutive matchdays – Boro squandered their chances of direct promotion and must also fear for their starting spot for the play-offs in the season’s final spurt.

Middlesbrough FC are six points adrift of the chasing pack ahead of Friday’s game against Norwich, one of the Red and Whites’ direct rivals for promotion. Last week saw a draw with Bristol City (2-2) after defeats to Huddersfield (2-4) and Burnley (1-2).

Given Boro’s current form, it is therefore risky to make a prediction on the home side in Middlesbrough vs Norwich in the upcoming match against the Canaries. At home anyway, the Red and Whites have lost each of their last four league encounters against Norwich City since November 2014.

Does MFC show an act of defiance?

At the Riverside Stadium, Middlesbrough FC have recorded 39 points in 20 league games this season. Statistically, this makes Boro the third best home team in the Championship. Only Blackburn (40 points) and Burnley FC (51 points) have taken more points at home than the red and whites from Middlesbrough.

A total of 53 goals have been scored in these 20 MFC home games – an average of less than three goals per game. Betting on less than 2.5 goals, however, comes with a lot of risk after Boro’s recent results. Since the 1-1 draw with Stoke on Matchday 37 of the Championship, Boro have always scored at least three goals in their last four league games.

Head coach Michael Carrick will have plenty to choose from for Friday’s game against the Canaries, with no major personnel worries. Compared to last week’s starting eleven against Bristol, the red and whites are not expected to make any major changes.

Last games of Middlesbrough:

Championship

  • 10/04/2023 – Bristol City 2 – 2 Middlesboro
  • 08/04/2023 – Middlesboro 1 – 2 Burnley
  • 01/04/2023 – Huddersfield 4 – 2 Middlesboro
  • 18/03/2023 – Middlesboro 4 – 0 Preston
  • 15/03/2023 – Middlesboro 1 – 1 Stoke

Norwich – Statistics & current form

Norwich, relegated from the Premier League, are looking for damage limitation and are at least aiming for a place in the play-offs. The Canaries started the 2022/23 season as joint favourites for direct promotion, but so far Norwich have fallen short of the high expectations and have been particularly disappointing in the second half of the season.

Nevertheless, there is still a chance – also due to shooting assistance – to finish the season in a starting position for the promotion play-offs. In view of this, Norwich suffered a bitter setback recently. The Canaries only managed a draw against 18th-placed Rotherham last week, despite having home advantage.

Surprisingly, Norwich had beaten Blackburn, currently sixth in the Championship, on the previous matchday to set the stage for a comeback. For the Canaries, the success at Rovers was their ninth away win this season. It also kept Norwich unbeaten on foreign soil for the fifth successive season.

Norwich remain unbeaten away from home again?

At Middlesbrough’s Riverside Stadium, Norwich have won their last four away games, always keeping a clean sheet. After the defeat in the first leg of the current season, Norwich are therefore also eager for revenge and can even extend their winning streak at MFC if they are successful.

Moreover, the Canaries can be expected to score at least one goal. Norwich already had a goal rate of 1.35 per game away from home. Teemu Pukki is currently the top scorer with ten goals and a total of seven assists. The 33-year-old veteran is expected to be in the starting eleven again, as he was in the last league game against Rotherham.

Last games played by Norwich:

Championship

  • 10/04/2023 – Norwich 0 – 0 Rotherham
  • 07/04/2023 – Blackburn 0 – 2 Norwich
  • 01/04/2023 – Norwich 0 – 1 Sheffield United
  • 18/03/2023 – Stoke 0 – 0 Norwich
  • 16/03/2023 – Huddersfield 1 – 1 Norwich

Middlesbrough – Norwich Direct comparison / H2H balance

Middlesbrough and Norwich meet for the 59th time overall. After 58 meetings between the two clubs, the direct comparison is currently even. Both teams have recorded 22 wins each, while 14 games have ended in a draw. Middlesbrough ended their negative streak against Norwich in the first half of the current season.

Boro won a match against the Canaries for the first time since April 20215 after seven consecutive winless competitive duels. Prior to that, Norwich had prevailed in six of their seven encounters against MFC, while there was also a draw between the two clubs in the second leg of the 2020/21 season.

Middlesbrough – Norwich Tip

Norwich City still have a realistic chance of reaching the promotion play-offs in the current second division season. However, with the current gap – one point separates Norwich from a starting spot – each of the remaining five second-round matches is of great importance. The upcoming match against Middlesbrough FC is no exception.

If Boro’s recent run of form is anything to go by, Friday’s game against the Championship’s fourth-placed side will come in handy for Norwich. The Red and Whites have not won any of their last three league games and have conceded eight goals in the process. It is quite possible that Boro’s negative streak will now continue against Norwich.

We don’t think it’s far-fetched for Norwich to score at promotion rivals MFC. Not only does Boro’s recent run of form reinforce that assessment, but so does the H2h at the Riverside Stadium. Norwich, after all, have won their last four away games at Friday’s opponents.

Our Middlesbrough vs. Norwich betting tips therefore aim for a win for the Canaries this time as well.

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