Middlesbrough – Watford

Middlesbrough is struggling after the club’s comeback to the Premier League, with Boro having won just one of its first seven games in the competition since the start of the season. Still they are somehow above the relegation zone of the EPL, but this could change if they do not improve their peformance anytime soon.

This weekend Middlesbrough is hosting Watford at the Riverside Stadium and it’s a good chance for Aitor Karanka’s team to finally record its second win in the Premier League this season.

Watford on the other hand is performing slightly better so far. Walter Mazzarri’s boys are currently placed 11th in the standings, which is not bad for a team which have the main goal to keep its place in the league. Watford didn’t win neither one of its last two games against Burnley and Bournemouth, but before that they recorded two consecutive wins against West Ham and Manchester United.

Aitor Karanka won’t be able to rely on two of its players – James Husband and Grant Leadbitter, who are still out because of injuries.

Watford’s Walter Mazzarri will be without the services of six of his players, who are not ready to play – Isaac Success, Craig Cathcart, Miguel Britos, Jerome Sinclair, Daryl Janmaat and Stefano Okaka. This is a serious problem for the Italian manager, who will have to find a way to rebuild his squad with all of these absences.

The last time these two teams met in the Premier League was in 2007 at the Riverside Stadium, when Middlesbrough scored four goals in Watford’s net, winning the game with 4-1. Before that Watford won at the Vicarage Road. In the all time Premier League head to head stats, Middlesbrough has a 2-1 advantage over Watford. On of the games between them finished with a draw.