Middlesbrough v Leicester: Foxes to spring New Year surprise

Kick Off: 1230, 02/01/2017

Stadium: Riverside Stadium

TV: Sky Sports 1

Middlesbrough are on a six-match lose-win run at the Riverside and are heading for a defeat if they are to keep the sequence going. No other club have scored fewer goals at home than Boro, who have not beaten Leicester in the last 13 meetings between the sides.

Leicester have a W6 D7 L0 record during those meetings and this season’s 2-2 draw ended a run of four successive victories. The Foxes are still to win away from home in nine attempts this season, although they came back from two goals and a man down to draw with Stoke last time out.

Trueform suggests Leicester should be backed in this one despite their poor away form. There is just one position separating these two teams in the table but a surprisingly large gap between their respective markers in the graphic.

A Look At Middlesbrough’s Betting Odds

Boro’s recent home record reads L-W-L-W-L-W, a run of results which suggests their next game at the Riverside will end in a defeat. Boro also have a terrible record against Leicester, so the odds of 8/5 on a home win don’t stand out as particularly remarkable.

Aitor Karanka’s team have drawn just once at home this season, while the Foxes have shared the points in just two of their away games, so 11/5 on a share of the spoils does not appeal either.

One team has failed to score in Boro’s last six home games and only two of their last 11 matches have involved both teams scoring, one of which was the 2-2 draw at Leicester. One team not to score is 18/25, but the 1/1 available on both teams to find the net is much more attractive. City have scored in four of their last five away games and the sides drew 2-2 at the King Power in November, so we think a repeat is on the cards.