The hosts are in fine form, but the visitors can cause a surprise. Middlesbrough vs Millwall prediction
Middlesbrough and Millwall will meet on Tuesday, 15 September, in the sixth round of the English Championship. The match will take place at the Riverside Stadium and kick off at 20:45 CET. I am backing a winner in this game.
H2H and statistical facts
• A win over the Lions would take Boro to the top of the Championship table.
• Middlesbrough have won all four of their home matches this season.
• Millwall have lost four of their last five matches in all competitions.
• Millwall have won two of their last three matches at the Riverside.
Victory would send Middlesbrough top
Middlesbrough have made a strong start to their Championship campaign and sit fourth after six matches with 13 points. The team have recorded four wins, drawn with Burnley and suffered a defeat to Blackburn. Kim Hellberg's side have been particularly impressive at home, where they have maintained a perfect record ahead of their meeting with Millwall.
At the end of August, Middlesbrough beat West Bromwich Albion 3-1 before drawing 1-1 with Burnley at the start of September. Just a few days later, the team secured an important 1-0 away victory over Queens Park Rangers. These results have kept the club near the top of the table and underlined their ambitions of challenging for promotion.
Middlesbrough also began their League Cup campaign with a victory. In the second round, the team beat Doncaster 3-1, before facing a serious test against Crystal Palace. On 8 September, the Premier League side proved too strong, winning 3-0, after which Middlesbrough switched their full focus back to the Championship.
The team played their previous match on 12 September against Norwich. In an extraordinary high-scoring encounter, Middlesbrough won 4-3 thanks to Ashley Phillips' goal in the 91st minute. Victory in their next game would take the team to the top of the table.
London side searching for consistency
Millwall made a fairly confident start to the season, but their results have fluctuated considerably. After six matches, the team have nine points and sit 13th. The Londoners have already experienced both impressive victories and painful defeats, while their goal difference stands at zero ahead of the match against Middlesbrough.
Millwall began their Championship campaign with wins over Bristol City and Norwich. However, those results were followed by two heavy defeats: 5-1 against Southampton and 3-0 against Wrexham. The team managed to bounce back on 5 September, when Alex Neil's side comfortably beat Bolton 4-0.
Millwall have already played three matches in the Carabao Cup and are now out of the competition. First, the team beat Queens Park Rangers on penalties after a 1-1 draw, before defeating Cambridge United 1-0 away in the second round. However, in the third round, the Londoners faced Newcastle and lost 1-0. Millwall put in a respectable performance and came close to taking the tie to a penalty shootout.
Millwall then travelled to Blackburn and suffered their third Championship defeat, losing 3-1. The Londoners were behind at half-time before Liam Dykes equalised from the penalty spot, but Oladapo Afolayan soon restored the hosts' lead, while Andri Gudjohnsen sealed the final score in stoppage time. As a result, Millwall head to the Riverside after two consecutive defeats in all competitions.
Probable line-ups
• Middlesbrough: Vitek, Brittain, Phillips, Malanda, Neto Borges, Berhalter, Morris, McGree, Conway, Cozier-Duberry, Lankshear.
• Millwall: Crocombe, Sturge, Cooper, Taylor, Baggott, Mazou-Sako, Metcalfe, Arount, Sykes, Ngehli, Dykes.
What to bet on?
Middlesbrough look the stronger option thanks to their more consistent Championship form and home advantage. The hosts have won four of their last six matches in all competitions, with their latest victory over Norwich demonstrating the strength of their attack. Millwall are capable of causing problems, but the Londoners' defensive lapses make backing the hosts the more attractive option.
