Our prediction for this Championship match:
Sheffield United
Match Time & Date:
01/01/2022
13:30
Prediction: 1-1
Middlesbrough
Sheffield United play host to Middlesbrough at their Bramall Lane in the first game of the year. The Blades aim to build on a hard-fought 1-0 win over Fulham as they were not in action in midweek. Sheffield United are eyeing their fifth consecutive league win, but this match will be anything but a walk in the park for the home side. Both Oliver McGodrick and Oli McBurnie missed the Fulham game with COVID-19, but the duo should be fit for the Middlesbrough clash. All Rhian Brewster, Robin Olsen, and Jack O’Connell should miss out through injuries.
The Boro, on the other hand, have been producing fine displays in festive fixtures, with the team beating both Nottingham Forest and Blackpool in the previous two league fixtures. Considering that Slovenian attacker Andraz Sporar has found his goal-scoring touch of late, we are tempted to put our money on both teams to score. The likes of Ameobi, Browne, and Fisher should miss out with injuries for the visiting side.
Highlighted Player (Ben Osborn):
Ben Osborn is an English footballer who plays for Nottingham Forest as a midfielder. Osborn was born in Derby (England) on August 5, 1994 and he started his youth career at his hometown club Derby County. In 2003 he moved to Nottingham Forest and after spending ten years at their football academy Osborn made his first-team debut for the Reds.
He made his debut on March 29, 2014 in a 1-1 draw with Ipswich Town and he has been playing for the City Ground Stadium outfit ever since. Ben Osborn has one cap for England U20 team and he played for England U19 and England U18 teams in the past as well.
It has to be noted that the Nottingham Forest midfielder scored four goals, while providing seven assists for his teammates in the 2016/2017 Championship season. His main position is left midfield, but he is capable of playing as both central and attacking midfielder as well. Ben Osborn’s preferred foot is left.
Highlighted Team (Middlesbrough):
Middlesbrough is a professional football club that have been balancing between the top two divisions of England’s league system in the modern history. Boro have been playing their home games at the Riverside Stadium since 1995 and their shirt colour is red. The capacity of the Riverside Stadium is 34,742. Middlesbrough impressed in the 2015/2016 Championship campaign and they did really well to secure promotion to the English top flight. Newcastle United and Sunderland are regarded as the club’s main rivals, but there is a rivalry with Leeds United as well.
Middlesbrough made it to the FA Cup final in 1997, but Chelsea proved to be a big catch for the Boro in the title game (0-2). However, the Riverside Stadium outfit did remarkably well to win the League Cup trophy in 2004, with the team beating Bolton Wanderers in the final. George Boateng, Stewart Downing, Juninho Paulista, Gareth Southgate, Jonathan Woodgate, Yakubu Aiyegbeni, Tuncay Sanli and Hamilton Ricard are the star footballers who left their mark at Middlesbrough.
