Middlesbrough vs Leicester City Prediction: Leicester lost two-game this season

Middlesbrough will welcome Leicester City at Riverside Stadium in Game Week 16 of the English Championship. Leicester will be looking to bounce back from the defeat against Leeds in the last game week and extend their lead at the top of the pack. Who will come out on top after 90 minutes?

Middlesbrough had a strong run of six consecutive victories in the Championship from late September to the end of October, giving hope that they were on track to secure a top-six placement and be promoted to the Premier League under the leadership of Michael Carrick. However, their recent league matches against Stoke City and Plymouth resulted in just one point, with Bali Mumba, Finn Azaz, and Morgan Whittaker scoring against them. One of Middlesbrough's main concerns this season has been their tendency to concede goals, and their absence of Darragh Lenihan due to injury has not helped, as they have conceded 23 times in 15 matches, equal to Sheffield Wednesday. With Chuba Akpom's departure to Ajax, it is unlikely that Middlesbrough will have a player competing for the Championship's Golden Boot. However, Josh Coburn, Sam Greenwood, and Emmanuel Latte Lath are providing enough attacking threat. Currently in 12th position in the Championship, Middlesbrough is looking to distance themselves from a poor start to the season. With an EFL Cup quarter-final against Port Vale coming up next month, Carrick's team hopes to achieve success beyond just the Championship.

Dieng; Van den Berg, Fry, McNair, Engel; Howson, Hackney, Jones, Greenwood, Crooks, Coburn

Leicester City fans were disappointed to see their team's nine-game winning streak in the Championship come to an end last Friday. Leeds, who used an aggressive approach against the Foxes, were deserving winners as Georginio Rutter scored the winning goal in the second half at the King Power Stadium. This loss was the first time Enzo Maresca's men failed to score in a match since September 2, which highlights their impressive start to the 2023-24 season. Leicester currently sits comfortably at the top of the second-tier league, with an 11-point lead over third place. 

Unlike last season, where they had one of the leakiest defences under Brendan Rodgers, Leicester has established a strong foundation this time around. The centre-back partnership of Jannik Vestergaard and Wout Faes, along with Mads Hermansen in goal, has only conceded nine goals in 15 league matches. On the attacking front, the goal-scoring responsibility has been evenly distributed among the team, but special recognition goes to playmaker Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall. The former Luton Town loanee has scored five goals and provided six assists in the Championship.

Leicester's away form has been flawless this season, winning all seven of their away matches since August. Recent victories against Swansea City and Queens Park Rangers demonstrate the team's determination and undeniable quality.

Hermansen; Pereira, Faes, Vestergaard, Justin; Winks, Dewsbury-Hall, Choudhury; Mavididi, Fatawu; Iheanacho

Middlesbrough has encountered difficulties in their defensive play since coming back from the international break in October. Facing the top-scoring attack in the division, Leicester City will undoubtedly challenge the Boro defence. Despite Leicester's failure to score against a resilient Leeds team after being in the lead, Maresca's squad is likely to perform effectively against Middlesbrough, who tend to take offensive risks. We expect Leicester to bounce back with plenty of goals in this game.