Middlesbrough vs West Brom preview: Team news, likely lineups, score prediction
West Brom face a tricky test against Middlesbrough as they attempt to bounce back from their first league defeat of the season on Friday night.
The Baggies have started the new Championship campaign in impressive fashion, but were defeated by Derby County last weekend, in what was a frustrating afternoon at The Hawthorns.
Ex-West Brom man Andreas Weimann’s 84th-minute goal was the difference between the two sides, as the hosts saw their unbeaten start to the new league season brought to an abrupt halt.
Ryan Mason and his men will be desperate to put that right on Teesside, and with that in mind, West Brom News previews the clash between the two early high-flyers.
Form Guide (League Only)
Middlesbrough: D, W, W, W, W
West Brom: L, W, D, W, W
Team News
West Brom’s defeat hands Mason the perfect opportunity to shake things up a little when it comes to his team selection.
Albion looked a little toothless in the clash against the Rams, and that could tempt the boss to throw Samuel Iling-Junior into the fold for his first start.
Alfie Gilchrist could also debut at right-back, while many supporters will want to see Josh Maja involved more as he continues his recovery from injury.
Injury absentees Krystian Bielik and Karlan Grant are both expected to be ruled out of the trip to the Riverside Stadium, with the former still yet to make his debut after joining in the summer.
The hosts have plenty of threats within their side, with the likes of Tommy Conway and Hayden Hackett arguably two of the division’s strongest attacking players.
Manchester City loanee Sverre Nypan is also beginning to show what he can do after being held back a little by Rob Edwards in the opening few games.
Predicted Lineups
Middlesbrough: Brynn, Ayling, Lenihan, Jones, Brittain, Morris, Hackney, Targett, Hansen, Conway, Whittaker
West Brom: Griffiths, Gilchrist, Phillips, Mepham, Styles, Molumby, Price, Mowatt, Iling-Junior, Maja, Johnston
Prediction: Middlesbrough 1-1 West Brom
The trip to Middlesbrough will test West Brom’s promotion ambitions, with the early pacesetters having dropped just two points from their opening five league outings this term.
Only Coventry and Bristol City have scored more than the North East outfit so far in 2025/26, and if the Baggies can tame their attack a little, then they should have a strong chance of securing a favourable result.
They have been very strong defensively so far this term, and it would be no surprise to see that continue here.
With that in mind, West Brom News is predicting a 1-1 draw between two teams who will hope to be competing at the top end of the table come the end of the season.
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