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Last Result:
Northampton 2-2 West Brom (Zander Diamond (1st goalscorer), Alex Revell – James McClean, Gareth McAuley)
Fulham 2-1 Middlesbrough (Julien de Sart, Lasse Vigen Christensen – David Nugent (1st goalscorer))
Kick Off: 13:30, 28/08/16
Stadium: The Hawthorns
Head-to-head: West Brom 1-1 Middlesbrough, Middlesbrough 0-1 West Brom, West Brom 3-0 Middlesbrough, Middlesbrough 0-5 West Brom, West Brom 2-0 Middlesbrough
Injuries:
West Brom: Out – Chris Brunt
Doubtful – Brendan Galloway, Jonny Evans
Middlesbrough: Out – Victor Valdes, Marten de Roon, James Husband, Grant Leadbitter, Bernardo Espinosa
Doubtful – George Friend, Fabio
Recommended Bets:
Middlesbrough to win @ 21/10
West Brom to score zero goals @ 37/20
Alvaro Negredo to score any time @ 9/4
Key Stats:
A look at West Brom’s betting odds
West Brom’s narrow 1-0 victory at Selhurst Park on the opening day of the season offered temporary relief for Tony Pulis, arresting a run of nine matches without a league win. But they have not tasted victory at The Hawthorns in five matches, losing 2-1 to Everton last weekend. Pulis needs to produce wins – and goals – in front of the home fans if he is to avoid becoming the first managerial casualty of the season. Middlesbrough’s odds to beat West Brom are 21/10.
It doesn’t seem likely that they will score many this weekend. They have only scored two goals in their last five home matches and so far this campaign have only found the net from set pieces.
Middlesbrough’s tall, powerful defence only conceded six headed goals in the Championship last season (22nd most in the division) and thus should cope well with the Baggies’ primary attacking threat. 37/20 for West Brom to score zero goals looks like a good bet.
But this does not mean they won’t manage to scrape a point. Only six of their last 40 matches have ended with a goal difference greater than one, and West Brom kept nine clean sheets last season.
They have also failed to win a home match by more than a single goal in any of the last 20 – a run that stretches back to the end of the 2014/15 season. Any team to win by exactly one goal is available at 6/5.
A look at Middlesbrough’s betting odds
Middlesbrough have flown out of the blocks this season, despite having to deal with a string of injuries to first-team players, and travel to the Hawthorns in buoyant mood, even taking into account their midweek defeat to Fulham.
All three goals scored by Aitor Karanka’s men this season have come in the first half, perhaps reflecting the confidence that is flowing through the camp following their last minute promotion. Middlesbrough to score the first goal in the first half is a good bet at 11/5.
Their 2-1 win at rivals Sunderland last weekend extended their undefeated streak to 12 in the league, and given that Alvaro Negredo has made a flying start to life back in England (one goal, two assists) this run should continue. The West Brom v Middlesbrough betting has the double chance on Boro or the draw priced at 1/2, with Negredo to score any time a tasty-looking 9/4.
The draw is priced 21/10, and those backing the Baggies can cash in at 3/2.
