Play-Off chasers Bristol City and Middlesbrough go head to head at Ashton Gate on Friday evening looking for a crucial victory in the race for a top-six spot.
EFL Championship
Our Three Predictions For Bristol City vs Middlesbrough:
- First Prediction For Bristol City vs Middlesbrough: Match Result – Bristol City – 23/20
- Second Prediction For Bristol City vs Middlesbrough: Over 2.5 Goals – 3/4
- Third Prediction For Bristol City vs Middlesbrough: Both Teams To Score – Yes– 61/100
First Prediction For Bristol City vs Middlesbrough: Match Result – Bristol City – 23/20
The Robins come into this encounter off the back of a disappointing result after dropping points at the death on Saturday, but are still in better form than their visitors. City have only won once in four, whereas Boro have lost every game in that space of time as they have dropped below their opponents in the table. A win would see them leapfrog their hosts from the South-west, while three points for Liam Manning’s side moves them into the top six ahead of the remaining weekend fixtures. Having won five of their last seven at home, Bristol City can be confident of taking the points, with only three losses in sixteen games at Ashton Gate all season. That’s a similar record but in the opposite direction that Middlesbrough have been on, winning just three of their last fifteen across all venues. Boro’s losing run should continue under the lights.
Second Prediction For Bristol City vs Middlesbrough: Over 2.5 Goals – 3/4
Defensive resilience in the past six games is why the Robins are in contention for a spot, conceding just two in that time period. With only nine goals at the other end, it points to narrow victories being the way they are taking points at the moment. That is a position that Middlesbrough would love to be in. Only two sides in the second tier this term have recorded a longer losing side than the one Michael Carrick’s outfit are currently on, with their away form being particularly dissatisfactory as of late. Goalscoring for them evidently hasn’t been an issue with only four sides scoring more times in their last six away games, but shipping thirteen at the other end has given them a bottom six record. Goals feel fairly likely on Friday evening, but more so for the home side.
Third Prediction For Bristol City vs Middlesbrough: Both Teams To Score – Yes– 61/100
With numerous injuries for the away side, it should come as no surprise that they have struggled in recent times. Over the course of the campaign though they actually rank ninth in the away standings, and have scored more times away from home than any other Championship side. While they won’t be expected to score too many on Friday given their blip in form, they should at least manage a single goal. City meanwhile have found the net in five of their last six, with the game against Swansea proving an outlier, particularly given the news that their boss Luke Williams has just been sacked. Expect the Robins to find the net in this high-stakes encounter.
Best Odds For Bristol City vs Middlesbrough
| Bookmaker | Bristol City | Draw | Middlesbrough |
| MyriadPlay | 23/20 | 23/10 | 19/10 |
| Gentleman Jim | 5/4 | 12/5 | 2/1 |
| Betarno | 6/5 | 12/5 | 19/10 |
The table above shows the latest odds from leading football betting websites.
Full Preview Of The Game: Last Results And Head-To-Head:
Bristol City arrive into this encounter on the cusp of a Play-Off place, a position they would have been even closer to had they held on to their lead in Saturday’s Severnside derby. Instead, Cardiff scored a 90th-minute equaliser, and they sit two points adrift of the top six with thirteen games to go. Jason Knight had given the Robins the lead on the hour mark, while Welsh opposition caused them more problems the weekend prior as Swansea crossed the border and took all three points.
Inbetween those two games, City comfortably defeated Stoke but that is their only win in four this month, a record they would desperately like to improve in their final February fixture. January likewise proved to be a month of inconsistencies, ending with one of their two victories in the past eight across all competitions as they defeated Blackburn. On New Year’s Day, they opened with a draw at Plymouth before defeating Derby, but then lost back-to-back games against Wolves in the FA Cup and Coventry. After a draw at Sheffield Wednesday, they then beat Rovers.
Middlesbrough are also in top-six contention, sitting two points and three places further back than their opponents on Friday evening. But Boro’s aspirations have taken a hit in recent weeks with four losses on the spin, most recently losing to Watford. Promotion chasers Sheffield United and Sunderland also defeated them, while Preston beat Michael Carrick’s side at the end of January.
Last month was opened with a last-gasp win at Hull, before another home draw against Cardiff. Their next Riverside outing saw the Teessiders exit the FA Cup at the hands of league rivals Blackburn. A trip to Portsmouth has proved difficult for many Championship sides and they fell to a loss, before responding against West Brom with three points. December had been plagued by draws, with four of their six games ending in a stalemate. Two of them ended 3-3, letting a three-goal lead slip against Sheffield Wednesday after themselves battling from falling behind three times the week before against Plymouth.
The head-to-head record between the clubs is extremely tight, currently standing at four games in Middlesbrough’s favour. There have been 90 meetings across the course of history, with the Robins enjoying a particularly decent recent record. They are unbeaten in six, winning each of the last three games including when they clashed in October, seeing the Robins record a first away win of the season.
Confrontation21/02/2025 Championship Championship 
Bristol City 
Middlesbrough 2 1 19/10/2024 Championship Championship
Middlesbrough
Bristol City 0 2 10/02/2024 Championship Championship
Middlesbrough
Bristol City 1 2 25/11/2023 Championship Championship
Bristol City
Middlesbrough 3 2 10/04/2023 Championship Championship
Bristol City
Middlesbrough 2 2 Last Results - Bristol City
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Where To Watch Bristol City vs Middlesbrough:
Where can I watch the game, either on TV or in person?
- Location: Ashton Gate, Bristol
- Date: 21st February, 2025
- TV Channel: This game is not scheduled for TV broadcast.
Probable Lineups For Bristol City vs Middlesbrough:
Predicted Bristol City Lineup:
- Lineup: O’Leary, Roberts, Dickie, Vyner, Sykes, Knight, Bird, McCrorie, Twine, Armstrong, Mehmeti
- Suspended/Injured: McNally, Pring, Benarous
- Coach: Liam Manning
Predicted Middlesbrough Lineup:
- Lineup: Travers, Borges, Edmundson, van den Berg, Ayling, Hackney, Morris, Conway, Azaz, Whittaker, Burzorg
- Suspended/Injured: Dieng, Doak, McGree, Brynn, Howson, Lenihan, Smith, Bangura
- Coach: Michael Carrick
