Boro look a spot of value to get at least a point at Selhurst Park on Saturday.
Crystal Palace v Middlesbrough – Saturday 15:00
Crystal Palace fell to their sixth defeat in seven games at Stoke in their last match, failing to score for the fifth time in that run, and with four of their remaining six away fixtures against top-six sides, the Eagles will be desperate to secure maximum points here at home against Boro. However, the Eagles have been dismal at Selhurst Park this term, losing eight of their last nine and averaging just 0.58 points per game for the season.
Middlesbrough are winless in eight following their goalless stalemate at home to Everton, but with four draws in their last six Aitor Karanka’s side have shown themselves to be competitive, though a startling lack of goals remains their Achilles heel. Indeed, Boro have only hit the net twice in their last six, whilst on the road they’ve lost four of their last five and scored just the single goal, giving hope to a Palace team with just two clean sheets in their last 30.
Four of Palace’s last five have been goalless at the break, whilst Boro have drawn the first half in seven of their last eight (six of these goalless), and with neither side likely to take too many risks under cautious managers in a relegation six-pointer, the 0-0 correct score at half-time at 2.45 offers good value. We also like Boro (draw no bet), with Palace losing four of the last five against the rest of the current bottom-six, including recent defeats at home to Sunderland and Swansea.
