Middlesbrough host Sunderland in the Championship this weekend and the home side will be looking to extend their impressive run of form with a win here.
Garry Monk’s side have picked up back-to-back victories against Reading and Hull. Boro are now back into the mix for the Play-Offs they will be looking to make it three wins in a row now.
On the other hand, Sunderland are in a rut and they are showing no signs of improvement so far. The Black Cats have been atrocious at home as well. They have not won any of their last 19 matches at home.
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Sunderland sacked Simon Grayson after another poor result earlier this week and the visitors will be dreading their trip to the Riverside this week.
Middlesbrough are firm favourites heading into this game and Sky Sports pundit David Prutton believes that Sunderland’s misery will continue with another loss here. The home side are likely to pick up another comfortable win.
He wrote: “The Sky Bet Championship is such a tough division to call, but everything about this game would suggest this has to be a home win. Middlesbrough finally seem to have gotten their act together as they adjust to life under Garry Monk, and Sunderland are in absolute freefall. You feel a little for Simon Grayson, who was given an incredibly difficult job there, but the results were poor and as soon as relegation becomes a possibility in any league then the manager is in trouble. I think Middlesbrough will want to give their opponents a right beating on Sunday to announce they’ve really arrived this season, and I fancy them to do just that.”
Prutton added that Middlesbrough will win 3-0 this weekend. Another heavy defeat for Sunderland could be really worrying at this stage of the season. The Black Cats simply cannot afford to drop down another division.
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