In the past 14 seasons, 88 points would have been enough to earn automatic promotion to the Premier League but Middlesbrough meet Brighton in a winner-takes-all showdown on Saturday with the pair locked on 88 points.
Boro only require a point to secure a top-two finish but the visitors are aware they must secure maximum points to sneak into the automatic promotion places. It promises to be a tense affair with so much at stake.
I’d be very surprised if the two teams went for the jugular from the off. Like a play-off or cup final, this could be a slow-burner as the two teams opt to protect before looking to get forward and attack as the fixture passes the halfway mark.
With that in mind, I’m keen to get the 0-0 half-time correct score onside at 2.75. Middlesbrough have seen 12/22 (55%) Riverside matches level at the interval whilst Brighton have followed suit in 13/22 (59%) on their Championship travels.
The hosts are unbeaten in front of their home fans since January and have shipped just seven goals at the Riverside all season with Aitor Karanka’s troops comfortably boasting the league’s best defence.
But Brighton have lost just twice on the road and head north with only one defeat in 19 (W13-D5-L1) now. Chris Hughton’s charges are a tough nut to crack and I reckon we’ll be waiting until at least the second-half for the match to open up.