Two of the Championships biggest names meet at Elland Road next weekend, with Leeds United taking on Middlesbrough. With just three points separating the two teams in the table, many are expecting fireworks when they step onto the field. Having dropped out of the promotion race after recording three successive defeats in the Championship, Leeds United will be looking to bounce back with a home win over Middlesbrough next weekend.
English Championship – Elland Road, Leeds – Sunday 19th November – 13:15 UK Time
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Draw Best Odd of: 11/5 at Skybet |
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Leeds United
Middlesbrough FCHowever, manager Thomas Christiansen will be more than aware of the threat posed by the visitors, with Boro being one of the in-form teams in the division over recent weeks. With plenty to play for at Elland Road, both sides are expected to give 100% for the three points, making it a tough match to predict. In order to lend a helping hand, let’s take a closer look at the two teams, as well as providing you with our top betting tip surrounding this exciting encounter.
Leeds United Team News & Form
Leeds’ defeat away at Brentford last time around was their third consecutive defeat, with Christiansen’s men having won just once in their last five matches. However, as one of the highest scoring teams in the division, they are certainly a team who can potentially quickly rediscover their best form. Macedonian midfielder Ezgjan Alioski has been a star performer for the home side so far this season, alongside the likes of Kalvin Phillips and Captain Liam Cooper. Meanwhile, Swedish defender Pontus Jansson could well line up for Leeds, despite potentially representing Sweden in their two World Cup qualifying fixtures against Italy.
Middlesbrough Team News & Form
Former Leeds boss Gary Monk returns to Elland Road with his new side, hoping to get one over on his former employer. Boro defeated arch rivals Sunderland at the Riverside last weekend to move up to fifth in the Championship standings, however they are still nine points behind the league leaders Monk has a variety of attacking talent to call upon for the match, with Britt Assombalonga likely to lead the line following his impressive run of form in front of goal over recent weeks. Elsewhere, Jonny Howson could well line up in midfield against his former club.
Head to Head
The two teams played out a boring 0-0 draw at Elland Road back in February, however Middlesbrough dominated the reverse fixture earlier on that season, winning by three goals to nil at the Riverside. The two have a very similar head-to-head record, making drawing conclusions from this area difficult ahead of kick-off.
Betting Odds and Predictions
Despite their status as the home team, it is Middlesbrough who are the narrow favourites for victory next weekend with the majority of bookmakers. Those looking to back the visitors can get best odds of 29/20 with Ladbrokes, while a win for Leeds United can be found at appealing odds of 19/10 with the Skybet.
Top Betting Tip
However, our top betting tip for the match is to bet on both teams scoring during the 90 minutes, which is available at odds of 10/11 with Ladbrokes.