Neil Warnock will begin life as Middlesbrough manager with a trip to Stoke City‘s Bet365 Stadium. An encounter between two sides toward the bottom of the Championship table. Every point is vital at this stage of the season, with just eight games remaining. The threat of relegation for these two big clubs looms large.
Middlesbrough come into this game off the back of a 3-0 loss at home to Swansea City last weekend.
Nick Powell saved a point for Stoke against Reading with a late equaliser at the Madejski Stadium.
Neil Warnock to Start Middlesbrough Spell in Stoke
Stoke Look to Extend Five Game Unbeaten Run
Stoke City sit in eighteenth place, though are just two points above the drop zone. They haven’t lost in any of their last five games and will be looking to continue picking up the points here.
The Potters have scored 50 goals in the Championship so far this season, more than anyone else in the bottom eleven. They have conceded 56 goals, leaving them with a handy goal difference of minus six, stronger than any of the teams below them and the two above.
Middlesbrough are in 21st place and have turned to Neil Warnock, 71, to turn their fortunes around after parting with Jonathan Woodgate. They’re only above the relegation zone on goal difference. Hull City are two goals worse off, both with 41 points.
Woodgate’s side had scored just 37 goals in 38 games. Warnock will need to find a way to get more goals out of this team if they are to avoid the drop.
Middlesbrough don’t have the worst defensive record down there, conceding just 50 goals – matched by Sheffield Wednesday (15th) and Wigan Athletic (17th) in the bottom ten. That’s something for the former Cardiff City boss to build on.
Previous Encounters
Stoke haven’t won any of the last three meetings between the two sides. Middlesbrough have picked up consecutive wins over Stoke, with the previous game a draw. In fairness, though, the last two meetings took place at Middlesbrough’s Riverside Stadium. Stoke’s most recent loss when hosting the fixture came in February 1998, a 2-1 win for Middlesbrough in Division One.
In the December meeting, Middlesbrough came from behind to beat Stoke 2-1. Ashley Fletcher and Lewis Wing were on the scoresheet.
Shawcross to Miss Out
Ryan Shawcross was injured against Reading last week and misses out, with Danny Batth set to partner James Chester at the back.
Joe Allen, Jordan Cousins and Thibaud Verlinden all remain out. Sam Vokes could return up top.
For Middlesbrough, Britt Assombalonga and Ashley Fletcher may be in line to return to the starting eleven, having started on the bench last week.
Prediction
Neil Warnock should give Middlesbrough a boost, but it might not be enough to get all three points on Saturday afternoon. With every point so important for either side, it’ll be a score-draw.
Stoke City 1-1 Middlesbrough
Main Photo
Embed from Getty Images
