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Middlesbrough sit top of the pile after the first five games, but history would dictate that their run may not end in Premier League promotion.
Middlesbrough face West Brom this evening (Friday, September 19) as Rob Edwards’ side look to continue their table-topping start to the season.
Middlesbrough have made a “brilliant” start under Edwards, and sit top of the Championship on 13 points heading into the Baggies clash.
Their unbeaten run looked destined to end at Deepdale, but Middlesbrough drew 2-2 with Preston North End thanks to some injury-time heroics.
Unfortunately for Boro, a worrying Championship record regarding their points tally at this stage of the season does not bode well.
Worrying stat suggests Middlesbrough will not win promotion
Middlesbrough have established themselves as the early pace-setters in the Premier League promotion race this season.
Four victories from their first four outings and a comeback draw at Deepdale have seen Boro scorch to the second tier summit on 13 points.
However, despite Boro’s impressive start with Edwards at the helm, Championship history suggests that teams on 13 points after five games, more often than not, fail in their promotion quest.
Middlesbrough have picked up 13 points in five Championship games so far this season (four wins, one draw), but as pointed out by BBC Sport, only two of the past 10 teams with 13+ points at this stage have then been promoted.
Those teams were last season’s Championship title winners, Leeds United in the 2019/20 season, and Fulham in the 2021/22 campaign.
Edwards has bettered Chris Wilder and Michael Carrick combined with his start at Middlesbrough, and he will be hoping to defy the history books again by joining Leeds and Fulham come May.
- READ MORE: Callum Brittain reveals the truth behind his transfer from Blackburn Rovers to Middlesbrough
West Brom will be hardest test in Middlesbrough’s season
Not only is Edwards looking to work his way into the history books, Baggies boss Ryan Mason is searching for his own.
West Brom have not won at Middlesbrough in six years, with their last victory on Teesside coming in 2019 under Slaven Bilic thanks to a Hal Robson-Kanu strike.
| Position | Team | Played MP | Won W | Drawn D | Lost L | For GF | Against GA | Diff GD | Points Pts |
| 1 |  MiddlesbroughMiddlesbrough | 5 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 9 | 3 | 6 | 13 |
| 2 |  Stoke CityStoke City | 5 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 9 | 3 | 6 | 12 |
| 3 |  Bristol CityBristol City | 5 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 12 | 4 | 8 | 11 |
| 4 |  LeicesterLeicester | 5 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 8 | 5 | 3 | 10 |
| 5 |  West BromWest Brom | 5 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 6 | 4 | 2 | 10 |
Friday evening’s clash will be a true test of both of the early promotion contenders as both sides look to get back to winning ways after Derby County beat West Brom last time out.
Boro play in front of their home supporters for the first time since the 1-0 win over Sheffield United before the international break, and with Edwards requesting noise from the Middlesbrough fans, it is set to be the game of the weekend when first hosts fifth tonight.