GolVolt — Middlesbrough vs Watford: preview, line-ups, chances

What to watch for

Facts from our data worth knowing before kick-off. After the match we check them ✓ / ✗.

Attack

Middlesbrough score 2.6 goals per match

Middlesbrough2.6 Watford0.6

Last 5 matches in all competitions. Watford score 0.6.

Streak

Middlesbrough unbeaten in 7 matches

WDDWWDW

All competitions, friendlies excluded: 4 wins and 3 draws. Last defeat: 8 September, 0:3 against Crystal Palace.

Last time

Last meeting, 25 April: Middlesbrough – Watford 5:1

LLLW

Morgan Whittaker: 2 goals. Before that, Middlesbrough went 3 meetings in a row without a win.

Streak

Middlesbrough have scored in 7 matches in a row

WDDWWDW

All competitions, friendlies excluded: 19 goals in those matches.

Player in form

Will Lankshear: 5 goals in 5 league matches

Goals5 xG3.36

Scoring more than his chances suggest (xG 3.4).

Players to watch

Championship, this season.

Will Lankshear

Middlesbrough · forward

11goals 0assists 7.30avg rating

Last match, Bolton Wanderers: 2 goals, rating 8.5.

Iker Bravo

Watford · midfielder

1goal 2assists 6.85avg rating

Last match, Wolverhampton Wanderers: rating 6.4.

Who is out

Injuries and suspensions

The list usually arrives about 48 hours before kick-off. There is none for this match yet.

Recent matches

Bar height is the goal difference. Hover or tap a bar for the details.

“This set-up” is Middlesbrough at home and Watford away, as in this match.

Middlesbrough

at home · 10

7W3D0L2.1scored per match1.0conceded per match

Watford

away · 10

0W1D9L0.4scored per match2.3conceded per match

Head to head

4 meetings since 2024.

Last time · 25 Apr 2026 · Championship Middlesbrough 5:1 Watford Whittaker 6', 58' · Strelec 45+1' · Conway 75' (k), 90+2' · Abankwah 48'. Middlesbrough: a first win in this fixture in 3 meetings.

1wins

0 draws3.2 goals per match · both scored in 2 of 4

3wins

Expected lineups

For now, the last starting XI: Middlesbrough (4-2-3-1, last: Bolton Wanderers) · Watford (5-3-2, last: Wolverhampton Wanderers).

Official around 15:00, Sat 30 Jan

RVVitek NBBorges AMMalanda APPhillips CBBrittain SBBerhalter AMMorris TCConway RMMcGree ADCozier-Duberry WLLankshear FRRavaglia MBBola BMMlacic MPPollock KKKeben KDDiatta IBBravo HKKyprianou EKKayembe LKKjerrumgaard MBBoadu

MiddlesbroughWatford

When the provider publishes the expected XI (usually a day before the match), it replaces the last one. A player on the absence list stays on the pitch as a pale, dashed “ghost”.

Who wins?

The provider's forecast usually arrives a few days before kick-off.

Pro analysisGolVolt ProPro extends the free match profile with its own goals model, lineup stability and results from similar fixtures. Coverage depends on the available data.

Pro analysis

GolVolt Pro

Pro extends the free match profile with its own goals model, lineup stability and results from similar fixtures. Coverage depends on the available data.

Volt matchup

62.0 38.3