Thursday , 2 July 2026

Watford FC vs Middlesbrough FC, Championship 2023-24 REGULAR SEASON

Championship · 2023-24
Watford FC
2 – 3
Full Time
Middlesbrough FC
Sat 30 Sep 2023 · 14:00 UTC Vicarage Road HT 45' · FT 45'
0–1 5' Riley McGree
0–2 12' Riley McGree
Vakoun Issouf Bayo 19' 1–2
Wesley Hoedt 52' 2–2
2–3 63' Josh Coburn
Ryan Porteous 40' Y
Francisco Sierralta 55' Y

Overview

Match Preview

Watford FC vs Middlesbrough FC — Championship at Vicarage Road.

Match Details

  • Referee Oliver Langford
  • Assistant 1 Hristo Karaivanov
  • Assistant 2 Bhupinder Gill

Standings

# Team P Pts
1 Coventry City FC 46 95
2 Ipswich Town FC 46 84
3 Millwall FC 46 83
4 Southampton FC 46 80
5 Middlesbrough FC 46 80
6 Hull City AFC 46 73
7 Wrexham AFC 46 71
8 Derby County FC 46 69
9 Norwich City FC 46 65
10 Birmingham City FC 46 64
11 Swansea City AFC 46 64
12 Bristol City FC 46 62
13 Sheffield United FC 46 60
14 Preston North End FC 46 60
15 Queens Park Rangers FC 46 58
16 Watford FC 46 57
17 Stoke City FC 46 55
18 Portsmouth FC 46 55
19 Charlton Athletic FC 46 53
20 Blackburn Rovers FC 46 52
21 West Bromwich Albion FC 46 51
22 Oxford United FC 46 47
23 Leicester City FC 46 46
24 Sheffield Wednesday FC 46 0

Head-to-Head

5
1
4
Watford FC 10 games · Avg 3.0 goals Middlesbrough FC
Last 5 meetings
2023-09-30 Watford FC 2–3 Middlesbrough FC 2023-01-28 Middlesbrough FC 2–0 Watford FC 2022-08-30 Watford FC 2–1 Middlesbrough FC 2021-04-05 Middlesbrough FC 1–1 Watford FC 2020-09-11 Watford FC 1–0 Middlesbrough FC

Recent Form

Watford FC
DateOpponentH/A ScoreResult
30 Sep Middlesbrough FC H 2–3 L
23 Sep Leeds United FC A 0–3 L
20 Sep West Bromwich Albion FC H 2–2 D
16 Sep Birmingham City FC H 2–0 W
02 Sep Coventry City FC A 3–3 D
27 Aug Blackburn Rovers FC H 0–1 L
Middlesbrough FC
DateOpponentH/A ScoreResult
30 Sep Watford FC A 3–2 W
23 Sep Southampton FC H 2–1 W
19 Sep Sheffield Wednesday FC A 1–1 D
16 Sep Blackburn Rovers FC A 1–2 L
02 Sep Queens Park Rangers FC H 0–2 L
26 Aug West Bromwich Albion FC A 2–4 L

Season Stats

Watford FC Middlesbrough FC
#16 Position #5
57 Points 80
46 Played 46
14 / 15 / 17 W / D / L 22 / 14 / 10
53 Scored 72
65 Conceded 47
-12 GD +25
1.24 PPG 1.74
30% Win % 48%

Key Stats

60% Both Teams to Score
H2H (10 games)
60% Over 2.5 Goals
H2H history

Watford FC are 16th (57 pts). Middlesbrough FC are 5th (80 pts).

Events

Match Events

  • 0' Here we go! The referee blows the whistle and Watford FC launch into their encounter with Middlesbrough FC.
  • 5' Goal! Riley McGree scores his 36 goal in 208 matches.
  • 10' The travelling Middlesbrough FC supporters hardly appreciate their team being pressed down to the backline.
  • 12' The Australia midfielder Riley McGree breaks the deadlock on 12 minutes. 0-2!
  • 17' Middlesbrough FC are happy to let the opposition have the ball in their own half. The trap is set.
  • 19' What a strike from Vakoun Issouf Bayo! The score is 1-2.
  • 24' The teams are not in a rush to score plenty of goals. It might look strange considering Middlesbrough FC that had 383 games and scored 467 goals.
  • 29' Watford FC is showing some good football. However, Watford FC are ready to play back every minute. It might result in some problems for the home side. The game will hardly remain goalless.
  • 34' Watford FC currently sit in the Array table. A result here could be decisive in the race for the top positions.
  • 36' Tom Smith is ready to make an impact after coming on for Lewis O'Brien at the 36 minute mark.
  • 37' Time for substitution for Middlesbrough FC. Lewis O'Brien is replaced by Tom Smith.
  • 40' It’s a booking for Watford FC player. Ryan Porteous gets a Yellow card.
  • 45' Spectators are craving for more action. Both teams play very cautiously. They need to put some more energy.
  • 46' The Watford FC manager makes a substitution. Mileta Rajovic departs to be replaced by Matheus Martins.
  • 51' looks like a favorite considering 0 games won in last 0 matches with its main striker scoring goals.
  • 52' Wesley Hoedt doubles the advantage! 2-2 and this game is slipping away from the opposition.
  • 55' Francisco Sierralta catches the referee's attention in entirely the wrong way. Yellow card on 55.
  • 60' A tactical chess match is unfolding here. The question is which manager blinks first.
  • 63' Josh Coburn adds to his 0 season tally! Middlesbrough FC lead 2-3 — and this changes everything.
  • 65' Another change for Watford FC made on 65 minute. Francisco Sierralta leaves to be changed by Edo Kayembe.
  • 70' It is a cagey affair so far. Watford FC in their 4-3-3 trying to find a way past Middlesbrough FC's compact 4-2-3-1.
  • 75' Middlesbrough FC come into this ranked in Array. They desperately need points to push themselves up the standings.
  • 78' A tactical swap from Middlesbrough FC — Marcus Forss on, Isaiah Jones off on 78 minutes.
  • 83' Watford FC started playing very sharply right from the kick off. However, it slowed down the tempo rapidly by 83.
  • 84' Tom Dele-Bashiru makes way for Rhys Healey at the 84 minute mark. A tactical switch from Watford FC.
  • 86' Sam Greenwood has so much to prove this time. He replaces Matt Crooks on 86 minute.
  • The final score is 2-3.

Lineups

Watford FC Lineups

4-3-3

Starting XI

Bench

Coach Valerien Ismael

Middlesbrough FC Lineups

4-2-3-1

Starting XI

Bench

Coach Michael Carrick

H2H

H2H Top Scorers

PlayerGoals
Ismaila Sarr 3
Vakoun Issouf Bayo 2
Riley McGree 2
Morgan Whittaker 2
Tommy Conway 2
Wesley Hoedt 2
George Edmundson 1
Rodrigo Muniz 1

Head to Head

2023-09-30 Watford FC 2–3 Middlesbrough FC 2023-01-28 Middlesbrough FC 2–0 Watford FC 2022-08-30 Watford FC 2–1 Middlesbrough FC 2021-04-05 Middlesbrough FC 1–1 Watford FC 2020-09-11 Watford FC 1–0 Middlesbrough FC

Watford FC Form

2023-09-30 Watford FC 2–3 Middlesbrough FC L 2023-09-23 Leeds United FC 3–0 Watford FC L 2023-09-20 Watford FC 2–2 West Bromwich Albion FC D 2023-09-16 Watford FC 2–0 Birmingham City FC W 2023-09-02 Coventry City FC 3–3 Watford FC D 2023-08-27 Watford FC 0–1 Blackburn Rovers FC L

Middlesbrough FC Form

2023-09-30 Watford FC 2–3 Middlesbrough FC W 2023-09-23 Middlesbrough FC 2–1 Southampton FC W 2023-09-19 Sheffield Wednesday FC 1–1 Middlesbrough FC D 2023-09-16 Blackburn Rovers FC 2–1 Middlesbrough FC L 2023-09-02 Middlesbrough FC 0–2 Queens Park Rangers FC L 2023-08-26 West Bromwich Albion FC 4–2 Middlesbrough FC L

Predictions

Prediction accuracy
3 / 4
1.36 Watford FC xG
Expected Goals
Dixon-Coles · Bivariate Poisson · Neg. Binomial · Elo
1.67 Middlesbrough FC xG
I would bet for: Watford FC or Middlesbrough FC 73% + Both teams to score 60%

Match Result

✓ Correct
Watford FC32% Draw27% Middlesbrough FC41%
Actual: Middlesbrough FC win

Both Teams to Score

✓ Correct
Yes60% 0% No40%
Avg goals/match: 3.03
Actual: Yes — both scored

Over / Under Goals

✓ O/U 2.5
Line Over Under
± 0.5 93%
7%
± 1.5 80%
20%
± 2.5 57%
43%
± 3.5 36%
64%
± 4.5 19%
81%

Double Chance

Watford FC or Draw
59%
Draw or Middlesbrough FC
68%
Watford FC or Middlesbrough FC
73%

Half-Time Result

✗ Wrong
Watford FC24% Draw44% Middlesbrough FC32%
Actual: Middlesbrough FC win at HT

Correct Score

✓ In top 12
1 – 1
11.9%
1 – 2
8.8%
0 – 1
7.3%
2 – 1
7.2%
0 – 2
6.7%
0 – 0
6.6%
2 – 2
6%
1 – 0
5.7%
1 – 3
4.9%
2 – 0
4.4%
0 – 3
3.7%
2 – 3
Actual

Asian Handicap — Watford FC

Handicap Watford FC covers Push Middlesbrough FC covers
-2.5 5% — 95%
-2 5% 9% 86%
-1.5 14% — 86%
-1 14% 16% 70%
-0.5 30% — 70%
+0.5 56% — 44%
+1 56% 20% 23%
+1.5 77% — 23%
+2 77% 13% 10%
+2.5 90% — 10%

Clean Sheet

Watford FC keeps clean sheet
20% ✓
Middlesbrough FC keeps clean sheet
26% ✓

Predictions are statistical estimates based on season form, H2H history, and a Poisson model. Not financial advice.