It was a big disappointment for Kim Hellberg’s Middlesbrough team to lose top spot as soon as they got there against Coventry on Monday night. However, there were still plenty of positives to take from that performance, and I believe that they will be champing at the bit to get back onto the pitch at the Riverside.
Even with that loss, Middlesbrough are in good form. They had won five in a row before the trip to the CBS, and this includes three wins in a row at home, without conceding a goal as well. Indeed, it is only Coventry this season who have scored more than once when visiting the Riverside Stadium in the Championship.
Their xG against is around 1xG per match at home, whilst they have an xG differential of +0.27, which isn’t actually as impressive as their actual goal difference, which stands at +0.94 goals per game, which is obviously much more dominant.
This is going up against an Oxford United team who are beginning to look detached from survival. They are six points off West Brom in 21st and their defeat to Sunderland in the FA Cup last weekend made it four losses in five in all competitions, and there has only been one win in Oxford’s last 11 in all competitions as well.
Oxford’s away xG differential this season is -0.77 per match, which, especially when added to Middlesbrough’s positive performance difference, is a big mountain to climb, especially when the Middlesbrough midfield looks as strong and powerful as it does at the moment.
