Middlesbrough host Millwall at Riverside Stadium in the EFL Championship on Saturday, with both sides having similar seasons so far.
Chris Wilder takes charge of his first match as Middlesbrough manager, as his new side play host to Millwall on Saturday afternoon. Middlesbrough are currently 14th in the table, three points behind their opponents. They have failed to win any of their last three games and will be looking to bounce back with a win against Millwall this week. Despite sitting five places adrift of their next opponents, Boro will move ahead of the ninth-placed Lions with victory at the Riverside Stadium.
The defense has been Boro’s main strength this season, as they have made it difficult for the opposition to score goals. This tight defense has helped them get results in many games. They have kept six clean sheets this season and have conceded 19 goals. Their recent form has dipped down as they have not won any of their last three games, losing two and drawing the latest game against West Brom 1-1. Before these games, Boro were on a three-game winning run.
Joshua Coburn is a really interesting one with the manager change having taken place. He’s impressed for Middlesbrough’s under-23 side and has been given opportunities under Warnock. He has not disappointed either, having scored three league goals from under 200 minutes of action. Included in that are two goals that he has scored in the last two games. It will be up to Wilder whether he trusts him and continues to give him a start. If he does, there is a big chance he gets repaid with a goal in this match.
Millwall have been inconsistent this season and have not been able to string together victories. Gary Rowett’s side are currently ninth in the table, with a win potentially taking them up to fifth in the league. They will be hoping to climb up the table with a win against Middlesbrough on Saturday.
Millwall have completed the third most number of crosses in the league and have attempted to score more goals by putting in more crosses into the box. They have averaged 6.62 crosses into the penalty area every 90 minutes and have created a threat for the opposition with these crosses.
Wallace has been directly involved in nine of their 15 league goals. It’s been his best start to a Championship season in terms of the end product, with five goals and four assists after 14 matches. He has generated the most expected threat in the games he has played for Millwall in the league. Scoring five times and assisting four already this season, the versatile attacker is proving to be an excellent player at Championship level.
There is no denying that Millwall are a tough team to play against. They’ve lost only one game in their last five, which indicates that they have been performing well in the league and can do well in their upcoming matches.
Middlesbrough predicted starting lineup:
Daniels, Howson, Hall, Bamba, Jones, McNair, Payero, Tavernier, Peltier, Watmore, Coburn.
Millwall predicted starting lineup:
Bialkowski, Ballard, Cooper, Wallace, Leonard, Mitchell, Saville, Malone, Wallace, Ojo, Smith.
