Sunderland vs Middlesbrough prediction, betting tips and odds

Where can I watch Sunderland vs Middlesbrough?

You can watch Sunderland vs Middlesbrough in the Championship at 12.30pm. on Saturday, 21 Septemberlive on Sky Sports Football.

Match prediction and best bet

Draw at Middlesbrough – no bet
1 point Evs generally

You can bet on Sunderland vs Middlesbrough and get £50 in free bets at Betfair.

Sunderland vs Middlesbrough Opportunities

Sunderland 29-20
Middlesbrough 15-8
Pull 12-5

Odds correct at time of publication

Sunderland vs Middlesbrough Predictions

Middlesbrough have won seven of the last ten Wear Tees derbies and it's a good bet whether the team will silence Sunderland at the Stadium of Light.

The first six weeks of the season have been positive for Sunderland, who have impressed under new head coach Regis Le Bris.

Winning their first four games catapulted Sunderland to the top of the league table, but they suffered a setback last Saturday with a 3-2 defeat at Plymouth.

Le Bris was not overly critical of his players after the loss to Devon, but he will demand a stronger performance from them against Middlesbrough, who are in tenth place in the table and probably deserve a much higher place.

Boro's shot rate of 94 and expected goals rate of 10.16 are the highest and second highest in the league respectively, so head coach Michael Carrick has every reason to be pleased.

Carrick is less happy with his team's inability to convert their dominance into regular victories, but Boro clearly have the potential to produce more consistent results.

Boro were ruthless in their 3-0 win at Leeds in the first round of the EFL Cup and it seems only a matter of time before they show a more consistent approach in the league.

Winning at Sunderland will not be easy, but the Teessiders make the short trip with a stronger squad, with key duo Jonny Howson and Rav van den Berg on course for a comeback.

Sunderland can be extremely pleased with their start, which was boosted by three goals from exciting attacker Romaine Mundle.

However, the defeat to Plymouth was a sobering experience and another reality check could quickly follow.

Important statistics

Middlesbrough have won seven of their last ten games against Sunderland.

Sunderland vs Middlesbrough Team News

Sunderland
Sunderland will be without Aji Alese, Niall Huggins, Jensen Seelt, Alan Browne and Salis Abdul Samed, but Dan Ballard will continue to play.

Middlesbrough
Jonny Howson and Rav van den Berg are pushing for a return, but Tom Smith, Alex Bangura, Marcus Forss, Darragh Lenihan and Dael Fry are out, and Lukas Engel's participation is also questionable.

Possible teams

Sunderland (4-3-3): Patterson; Hume, Ballard, O'Nien, Cirkin; Rigg, Neil, Bellingham; Roberts, Mayenda, Mundle.
Submarines: Isidor, Watson, Rusyn, Hjelde, Aleksic, Mepham, Samuel-Ogunsuyi.

Middlesbrough (4-2-3-1): Dieng; Ayling, Edmundson, Clarke, Neto Borges; Barlaser, Hackney; Jones, Conway, Azaz; Latte latte.
Submarines: Doak, Morris, Hamilton, Burgzorg, McGree, Van den Berg, Howson.

Commercial Disclosure: This article contains affiliate links. The offers are handpicked and come from operators our experts have first-hand experience of. When you open an account through one of these links, the Racing Post generates revenue which is used to continue producing our award-winning horse racing and sports betting coverage.