An interesting clash in the Championship kicks off the weekend’s football, with current holders of the second automatic promotion spot Bournemouth the visitors to the Riverside, where they will face off with Chris Wilder’s Middlesbrough who has kept the team moving towards the play-offs but not managed to inspire the team to much greater heights than they were already occupying before the move. Scott Parker’s Cherries are in even worse form, with no wins in five, three draws bookended by two defeats against Blackburn and bottom of the table Derby. They clearly still pack a punch, and this tie is too close to call, it really could go either way. You would have to imagine the first goal today will define the game.
I’ve taken a deeper dive into this clash which is live on Sky Sports at lunchtime on Saturday and picked out some great selections for your first Bet Builder of this weekend. I’ve also included the Cheat Sheet down below so you can make your own selections. Whether you’re backing my bet or going it alone with the help of the Cheat Sheet, I’m wishing you good luck!
Middlesbrough v Bournemouth Bet Builder Tips & Predictions
Under 2.5 Goals
Middlesbrough have conceded three goals just once in their last 15 Championship games, whilst just four times in those games has over 2.5 goals landed. Despite running at the top of the table, Bournemouth have also had over 2.5 land in just 1 of their last seven away matches. Goals then would seem to be unlikely to flow at the Riverside, with Bournemouth chronically out-of-form, with no wins in their previous five league games. Middlesbrough have been solid enough defensively but are rarely able to score more than once in a given fixture, and Bournemouth recently have been unable to break down defences.
The price of 1.65 then seems to be quite high considering the records of both teams coming into the fixture. Middlesbrough are not on an especially great run of form, and neither are the visitors. Boro have only scored more than once in a game on just one occasion in their last eight games, meanwhile their defence is keeping the score down at the other end too, with more than one goal conceded in just one of their last six.
Philip Billing to be Carded
The referee for this game is Chris Kavanagh, who so far this season has given 3.67 yellows per game. Middlesbrough’s 22 league games have seen an average of 4.3 cards produced, meanwhile Bournemouth’s fixtures have seen a similarly high 3.9 cards. The two sides sit third and fourth in the league for yellow cards per 90, so cards seem to be an excellent place to look for this Bet Builder.
My top card choice is currently sitting at a great price and is an excellent choice, however, slightly thrown into doubt by the knock that kept Billing out of Bournemouth’s 2-0 defeat last weekend against Blackburn. He has been back in training and there are positive noises coming from manager Scott Parker to suggest that he will be able to play this weekend. If Billing does not play, his likely replacement Ben Pearson would also be a good option for a card bet – he commits 1.69 fouls per 90 and has picked up 3 yellows already without being a regular starter for Bournemouth.
Billing commits 1.55 fouls per 90 and playing in defensive midfield is often required to make the kind of tactical fouls that often pick up bookings. Billing has received 6 yellow cards already this season, and in a game containing two of the teams with the highest number of cards in the league, Billing surely must be one of the most likely players to be on the receiving end of a caution.
Dominic Solanke to have 1+ Shots on Target
Solanke has scored 16 goals in the Championship this season, putting him third in the goalscoring charts, behind only Aleksandar Mitrovic and Ben Brereton. Finally proving his worth after years of underwhelming performances, Solanke is taking a huge 3.46 shots per 90, way ahead of any of his teammates and the highest by a starter for both teams by some margin. He is not just aimlessly shooting however, Solanke is averaging 1.38 shots on target per 90, and there is little reason to suspect that this will not continue against a Middlesbrough team that will set up to frustrate an out-of-sorts Bournemouth attack.
19 of Solanke’s 22 Championship starts have seen him get at least one shot on target, and this selection would have landed in any of his last six performances, so despite Bournemouth’s shaky form (no wins in their last 5), Solanke is still managing to have regular sights of goal. He has taken more than one shot in every Championship fixture bar one, so this selection, despite not being priced very highly is still an enticing addition to any Bet Builder.
Andraž Šporar to have 1+ Shots on Target
Boro striker Andraž Šporar is not as productive as Solanke, with only 2.35 shots per 90, but in a game where Boro are likely to have chances, I am choosing to pick Šporar over striking partner Watmore as he has landed this in five of his last six games (including one off the bench in which he played just 19 minutes). It must also be considered that Šporar finishes many more games than Watmore does, so if the game is going against Chris Wilder’s men, he will likely remain on the pitch when Watmore is withdrawn around the 60 minute mark.
He is averaging just under 1 shot on target per 90, at 0.81, but his high value for shots taken (above any other player in the Boro side who regularly starts games) means he will be taking plenty of shots whenever he gets the opportunity. In 15 games this season, Šporar has had shots on target in 10, and he is likely to have a chance to add to this tally on Saturday lunchtime against a Bournemouth defence that has not kept a clean sheet in any of their last five games.
Written by an Andy verified content writer
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* I recommend waiting for confirmed team line-ups before placing any bets, my predicted line-ups can be found below *
Middlesbrough v Bournemouth Predicted Line-ups
Middlesbrough Predicted 11 v Bournemouth: Lumley; Dijksteel, Fry, McNair; Jones, Crooks, Howson, Tavernier, Bola; Watmore, Sporar (3-5-2)
Bournemouth Predicted 11 v Middlesbrough: Travers; Stacey, Cahill, Kelly, Brady; L.Cook, Kilkenny, Marcondes; Christie, Solanke, Anthony (4-3-3)
Middlesbrough v Bournemouth Cheat Sheet
* All odds displayed correct at the time of publishing *
How to watch Middlesbrough v Bournemouth in the English Championship
📅 When is Middlesbrough v Bournemouth? / Saturday, 18 December 2021, 12:30
🏟 Where is Middlesbrough v Bournemouth? / Riverside Stadium (Middlesbrough)
📺 What TV Channel is Middlesbrough v Bournemouth? / Sky Sports Main Event
📱 Online Live Streaming for Middlesbrough v Bournemouth? / bet365
🟨 …And who is the referee for Middlesbrough v Bournemouth? / Chris Kavanagh 🏴
