2020-21 Sky Bet Championship: Week 35 – Saturday

Swansea City welcome Middlesbrough to the Liberty Stadium in Saturday’s big Sky Bet Championship clash.

Victory for Swansea could send them second if Watford lose at lunchtime after Brentford’s game was postponed due to Coronavirus related reasons.

Middlesbrough meanwhile will stay ninth but can keep pace with the race for the play-offs with a win.

 

Team News

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Swansea have no fresh injury concerns after their comeback win at Stoke on Wednesday evening.

Liam Cullen, Steven Benda (both ankle), Ryan Bennett, Wayne Routledge (calf) and Jordan Morris (knee) are ruled out.

Middlesbrough have no fresh injury concerns to report after a comeback win at Coventry on Tuesday evening.

Ashley Fletcher (hamstring) and Marcus Browne (knee) remain absent.

 

Stat Attack

• This is Swansea’s 50th meeting against Middlesbrough in all competitions (W18, D11, L20)
• Swansea are unbeaten in four of their last five league meetings against Middlesbrough (W3, D1, L1).
• Middlesbrough have taken four points from their last five league trips to Swansea (W1, D1, L3).
• Two of Andre Ayew’s six home goals for Swansea in the Championship this season have come from the penalty spot.
• Four of Boro’s last five away goals have come in the first half.

 

Prediction

With the race for second quite tight, Swansea cannot afford to drop points here because if they let Middlesbrough make a strong start and score first in a similar manner to their midweek start at Stoke, this could be a tough match to get all three points from given the Teessiders’ defensive ability.

Boro however are a well drilled team so will certainly pose a tough test but their defensive ability is still quite shaky which is a worry, especially given the talent within this Swansea team who could cause serious issues.

A score draw therefore looks a decent bet unless either team finds that extra edge needed up front to snatch a winner because if both teams score, two goals might just be enough for the win unless it’s a single goal result.

Prediction: Swansea 1-1 Middlesbrough

Result: Swansea 2-1 Middlesbrough