Middlesbrough vs Oxford United Predictions

Boro can see off poor travellers Oxford

Back Middlesbrough to beat Oxford at the Riverside Stadium on Saturday. The visitors have been poor on the road this season, with just one win in 19 away games, and Boro have won nine of their 19 home matches.

Middlesbrough are ten places above Oxford in the table, with the two sides separated by 12 points. Middlesbrough, who are eighth with a record of 15 wins, nine draws and 14 losses, host 18th-placed Oxford, who have won ten and lost 16 of their 38 games this season.

Middlesbrough are in fine fettle at home, having won their last two Championship games at the Riverside.

They will be confident of getting on the scoresheet here. They have averaged two goals a game in their 21 Championship matches against bottom-half teams this season and have the firepower to exploit Oxford’s vulnerabilities.

Oxford have been disappointing in front of goal away from home this season, scoring just 12 goals in 19 games – an average of 0.63 goals a game on the road.

The visitors have looked dodgy at the back, with Oxford failing to keep a clean sheet in seven of their last nine Championship games. They are on a run of three away days without recording a shutout.

A 2-0 win for Middlesbrough looks the most likely outcome. Three of their last four Championship games have had fewer than three goals and this should be routine.

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Edited by Mark Langdon