Middlesborough vs Leeds – Under pressure Boro need to deliver
Published:Middlesborough need three points this weekend, it’s as simple as that.
Backed to be Champions this season, Boro have stalled spectacularly and are 18th in the table and their boss Gordon Strachan is clearly feeling the heat.
Although he’s had his players speaking to the media of unity and togetherness, he’s not winning over the Boro fans.
In a poll conducted last by the Middlesborough Evening Gazette, 78% of Boro fans think Strachan should be sacked.
These stats aren’t the only ones that aren’t Strachan’s friends, he’s won just 13 out of 45 games since taking over at Boro and despite importing nine players from the SPL including Scotland regulars Kris Boyd and Barry Robson, he can’t seem to make his team click.
If they don’t beat Leeds in Saturday’s late kick off, Strachan is likely to face the sack.
Strachan and his players will be hoping that this is the game where they turn their season around and, at 5/4 to beat Leeds, it seems they’re reasonably well fancied to.
Leeds on the other hand are really quite enjoying life back in the Championship.
They’re currently in a steady tenth and seem to have found a man in five-goal David Somma who can replace Jermaine Beckford.
Leeds are 9/4 to win and have done reasonably well away from home, with one win and two draws away from Elland Road thus far.
One thing that you can almost guarantee is there will be goals.
Middlesborough have scored eight in their last five games and conceded ten while Leeds have scored nine and conceded twelve in their last five.
With that in mind, odds of 5/6 on there being more 2.5 goals looks a neigh on certainty.
9/4 on there being more than 3.5 goals and 5/1 to there being more than 4.5 goals look absolute steals as well.
David Somma is 6/1 to score the first goal. See the full Middlesborough vs Leeds betting odds market here.
