Middlesbrough vs West Brom predictions: Boro to tighten grip on top spot
Middlesbrough are unbeaten with four wins and a draw in the Championship
West Brom have already won at Wrexham and Stoke this season
Recommended bet: Middlesbrough to win
Championship leaders Middlesbrough have started the season strongly and recovered well from the humiliating League Cup defeat at home to Doncaster to win three straight games before a 2-2 draw at Preston last Saturday.
West Brom, meanwhile, suffered a first defeat of the season with a shock 1-0 loss at home to Derby County.
However, Ryan Mason’s side could move into the top two, for half a day at least, with a win on Friday night.
The latest Middlesbrough vs West Brom odds are available on LiveScore Bet.
Team news
Middlesbrough midfielder Riley McGree has not featured this season after suffering a hamstring injury, while goalkeeper Seny Dieng is also sidelined.
Other than those two absentees, manager Rob Edwards has a full squad to choose from.
For the Baggies Tammer Bany is recovering from a hamstring injury which has stopped him from appearing so far this season, while a thigh injury has also sidelined striker Daryl Dike.
The stats
Middlesbrough boast the joint-meanest defence in the Championship, having conceded only three goals in five matches this season.
West Brom have not won at the Riverside Stadium since a 1-0 victory in October 2019 and the Teessiders have kept a clean sheet in the last three outings against the Baggies.
Only one of West Brom’s matches this season has produced more than two goals, the 3-2 win at Wrexham.
The two sides each finished last season level on 64 points, with both missing out on the play-off spots by four points.
The latest Middlesbrough vs West Brom odds are available on LiveScore Bet.
Prediction
Middlesbrough have enjoyed a hugely positive start to life under Edwards, whose passion has been a big motivator behind his team's strong start.
He has brought the players and fans closer together as the club bids to earn promotion for the first time in a decade.
Topping the table, Boro had won four straight games before showing great fight and determination to score a last-minute equaliser against Preston, having gone behind at Deepdale late on.
Boro have kept three clean sheets in five league games and come up against an Albion side who have only scored more than one goal once this season and who drew a blank at home to Derby last Saturday.
The Baggies rarely concede either, with Nat Phillips and Chris Mepham strong additions at the back, so you can expect this game to be a cagey affair.
It might be decided on a moment of quality or a rare defensive error, but there will not be much to separate the two sides.
Boro are showing great momentum which will give them confidence that they can tighten their grip on first place and, with genuine talent to call on in every department of the pitch, the hosts should just edge this one.
