Kick Off: 1230, 02/01/2017
Stadium: Riverside Stadium
TV: Sky Sports 1
Middlesbrough are on a six-match lose-win run at the Riverside and are heading for a defeat if they are to keep the sequence going. No other club have scored fewer goals at home than Boro, who have not beaten Leicester in the last 13 meetings between the sides.
Leicester have a W6 D7 L0 record during those meetings and this season’s 2-2 draw ended a run of four successive victories. The Foxes are still to win away from home in nine attempts this season, although they came back from two goals and a man down to draw with Stoke last time out.
Trueform suggests Leicester should be backed in this one despite their poor away form. There is just one position separating these two teams in the table but a surprisingly large gap between their respective markers in the graphic.
A Look At Middlesbrough’s Betting Odds
Boro’s recent home record reads L-W-L-W-L-W, a run of results which suggests their next game at the Riverside will end in a defeat. Boro also have a terrible record against Leicester, so the odds of 8/5 on a home win don’t stand out as particularly remarkable.
Aitor Karanka’s team have drawn just once at home this season, while the Foxes have shared the points in just two of their away games, so 11/5 on a share of the spoils does not appeal either.
One team has failed to score in Boro’s last six home games and only two of their last 11 matches have involved both teams scoring, one of which was the 2-2 draw at Leicester. One team not to score is 18/25, but the 1/1 available on both teams to find the net is much more attractive. City have scored in four of their last five away games and the sides drew 2-2 at the King Power in November, so we think a repeat is on the cards.
A Look At Leicester’s Betting Odds
Leicester’s away record this season is atrocious, but could that all be about to change at Middlesbrough?
The Foxes are 9/5 to win their first game on the road in 10 attempts and that looks like decent odds considering their spirited fightback in recovering from Jamie Vardy’s dismissal and a two-goal deficit to draw 2-2 at Stoke. The Foxes showed plenty of spirit in keeping their first clean sheet in 12 league games with a 1-0 win against West Ham on Saturday in which Robert Huth returned from injury.
Leicester to win and both teams to score is 21/4 and as we’ve already nailed our colours to the mast on Boro and City hitting the net, that’s a price that should be considered. Islam Slimani scored the winner against West Ham and was on target in the 2-2 draw against Boro earlier this season so is a good price at 9/4 to score at any time.
Additional stats
Last result:
Manchester United 2-1 MIDDLESBROUGH – Grant Leadbitter
LEICESTER 1-0 West Ham – Islam Slimani
Head-to-head: Leicester 2-2 Middlesbrough, Leicester 2-0 Middlesbrough, Middlesbrough 1-2 Leicester
