Middlesbrough are showing no signs of a hangover from suffering heartbreak to Hull City in last season’s Championship play-off final and they will be keen to stay on an upward trajectory at Bolton Wanderers.
Boro came from two goals down to rescue a point at home to Cardiff City last weekend, stretching their Championship unbeaten run to nine games, and they come into this clash in third, just one point behind leaders Swansea City.
Kim Hellberg’s side have won two of their last three away league games at Stoke City and Queens Park Rangers but they will need to be on the ball against Bolton, who are making a decent fist of things on their Championship return.
Wanderers have taken 10 points from their last five league games and a 3-1 win at Wolves and a 0-0 draw with Southampton in their two most recent outings underlines their capabilities.
Bolton Wanderers v Middlesbrough Tips Summary
Best Bet - Middlesbrough to win & both teams to score @ 15/8
Alternative Bet - Will Lankshear anytime goalscorer @ 5/6
Bet Builder - Middlesbrough to win, Will Lankshear anytime goalscorer & Sebastian Berhalter to be booked @ 11/1
Bolton Wanderers v Middlesbrough Prediction
Best Bet: Middlesbrough to win & both teams to score @ 15/8
With Swansea and West Ham United not in action until Saturday, Middlesbrough can move top of the Championship with victory and that should fuel their motivation at Bolton.
Boro boss Hellberg didn’t hold back after last Saturday’s 2-2 draw at home to Cardiff but he should have been pleased with the character of his team as they fought back from two goals down at half-time.
Choosing to rest Will Lankshear proved a mistake but the league’s top scorer made a difference off the bench, scoring the equaliser with his ninth goal of the campaign.
The concern will be that Middlesbrough have conceded 16 goals in 11 league outings and managed only three clean sheets in 14 games in all competitions.
That will offer Bolton hope and they are enjoying their best spell of the season, taking 10 points from their last five outings and scoring four in victory at Norwich City and three in a win at Wolves.
Wanderers should be able to get at Boro but keeping a side that are unbeaten in nine league games and have scored at least twice in five of their last six at bay looks a tall order.
Alternative Bet: Will Lankshear anytime goalscorer @ 5/6
A few eyebrows were raised when Middlesbrough splashed a fee understood to be worth around £10m for Lankshear in the summer, but the former Tottenham Hotspur man is proving to be worth every penny.
Lankshear showed promise while on loan at Oxford United last season but he has hit new heights at Boro, scoring nine goals in his first 11 Championship appearances.
The 21-year-old came off the bench to rescue a point at home to Cardiff last weekend, scoring in a third straight league game, and he has had 37 shots this season, hitting the target 17 times.
Bolton Wanderers v Middlesbrough Bet Builder Tip
Middlesbrough to win
Will Lankshear anytime goalscorer
Sebastian Berhalter to be booked
Pays 11/1
Middlesbrough have gone on a nine-game unbeaten run to make their presence felt at the top of the Championship and they should have too much quality for Bolton, who have lost three of their last four home league games.
Lankshear is living up to his lofty fee with nine goals in 11 league appearances and can score for a fourth game on the trot.
United States international Sebastian Berhalter has been an excellent addition to Boro’s midfield but he has been carded in three of his last four games for club and country and may overstep the mark.
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Key Match Stats
- Middlesbrough are unbeaten in nine Championship outings
- Bolton have lost three of their last four home league games
- Both teams have scored in 10 of Boro’s last 13 outings
- There have been four or more goals in five of Boro’s last six matches
- Both teams have scored in three of Bolton’s last four fixtures
- Middlesbrough striker Will Lankshear has scored in four of his last five Championship appearances
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This article was written by a partner sports writer via Spotlight Sports Group. All odds displayed on this page were correct at the time of writing and are subject to withdrawal or change at any time.
