Hull City v Middlesbrough Prediction, Tips and Bet Builder

After one of the most dramatic weeks in Championship history, Hull City and Middlesbrough are finally set to do battle in Saturday's play-off final, with a place in the top flight of English football at stake.

Both teams were relegated in 2016/17 and have not returned to the Premier League since. That will change for one of them on Saturday and Joe Casey is on hand to provide his best bets for this Wembley showdown.

Hull City v Middlesbrough Tips Summary

Best Bet - Middlesbrough to win @ 9/10
Alternative Bet - Hayden Hackney to register an assist @ 5/2
Bet Builder - Aidan Morris 2+ shots, Middlesbrough to have most shots & Oli McBurnie to be booked @ 6/1

Hull City v Middlesbrough Prediction

Best Bet: Middlesbrough to win @ 9/10

Middlesbrough have had a reprieve to get into the play-off final and they are fancied to take full advantage with a victory over Hull as they bid to return to the Premier League after a nine-year absence.

Boro were automatic promotion candidates for much of the season, but poor finishing and an injury to key player Hayden Hackney meant that they fell away and had to settle for a play-off spot.

Kim Hellberg's team do create chances at a high rate and have been handed a huge boost by the return of Hackney to training, he should feature in this clash.

With their talisman back in the side it's not hard to see Boro getting the better of a Hull team who have massively overperformed their expected goals tally all season in the Championship.

Only rock-bottom Sheffield Wednesday allowed more expected goals than the Tigers and their leaky defence could be their undoing once more in this clash.

Alternative Bet: Hayden Hackney to register an assist @ 5/2

Hayden Hackney won the Championship Player of the Season award despite being out for almost two months through injury, he is fancied to play a pivotal role in this play-off final.

The midfielder scored five goals and registered seven assists in 38 games and as one of the main creative forces in this Boro team, he is fancied to lay on a goal at Wembley.

Only Stoke City’s Sorba Thomas created more chances in the second tier than Hackney's 83 and his 7.53 expected assists from open play was third behind Femi Azeez of Millwall and former Boro player Finn Azaz, now playing at Southampton.

Hull City v Middlesbrough Bet Builder Tip

• Aidan Morris 2+ shots

• Middlesbrough to have most shots

• Oli McBurnie to be booked

  Pays 6/1

Aidan Morris has been crucial to Boro's midfield this season and also ranks fourth in shots for his side with 57. He is taken to have two or more attempts in this game.

Middlesbrough took 743 shots in the regular season, just two less than champions Coventry City, while Hull only managed 513, so Boro should have more attempts at goal in this final.

Expect Hull forward Oli McBurnie to get in a real physical battle with the Teessiders' backline, particularly Dael Fry.

The Scotland international has been booked eight times in 32 league starts and could pick up another caution, particularly if the match is going against his side.

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Key Match Stats

• Middlesbrough have won three of the last four head-to-heads

• Both teams have scored in nine of Hull's last 13 games.

• Only Sheffield Wednesday allowed more expected goals than Hull's 80.2 in the Championship

• This is the first time a play-off has been contested between two managers in their first season in English football

• Only Zan Vipotnik (Swansea) scored more second-tier goals than Oli McBurnie this season

• No team has finished sixth in the Championship and won the play-offs since Blackpool in 2010

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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.