Middlesbrough In The Play-Offs: Key Stats & Insights

At the start of the 2022/23 season, Middlesbrough were one of the favourites for automatic promotion to the Premier League, however, Boro’s campaign didn’t start off the way they had planned.

Chris Wilder started off as the Teesside club’s manager, but, was sacked after winning just two of his first 11 games, seeing Middlesbrough sat in the Championship’s relegation zone. This meant that Uruguayan coach Leo Percovich oversaw five matches as Interim Manager, with the 55-year-old ending up with a respectable record of two wins and a draw in five matches. Since then, Percovich has moved back into his role of Head of Player Pathway and Development at the Riverside Stadium.

There was a lot of speculation around who should be Middlesbrough’s next manager, however, Michael Carrick stepped in to replace he ex-Sheffield United boss and has been somewhat of a revelation. The former Manchester United midfielder has managed to win 18 and draw four of his first 31 matches in charge, equating to a 58% win percentage in what is his first permanent managerial job.

These results have seen the Boro go from 17 points on matchday 16 to 75 after 46 matches, a considerable increase with many posing the question of where would the Riverside club be if the 41-year-old has taken the reins at the start of the campaign.

Due to finishing fourth in the Championship, the Boro will face fifth in the table Coventry City in the play-off semi-finals. This will be a two-legged play-off with the aggregate winner advancing through to the final at Wembley Stadium. There are no away goal rules in the play-offs.

14th May 12:00 pm Kick-off - Coventry City vs Middlesbrough

17th May 20:00 pm Kick-off - Middlesbrough vs Coventry City

Play-off Final: 27th May - 16:45 pm Kick-off

Middlesbrough are the favourites to be promoted from the play-offs with odds of 15/8, their odds were at 11/4 at the start of the 2022/23 campaign according to Betfair, however, these will have inevitably fluctuated upon the sacking of Wilder.

In the semi-finals of the play-offs, Carrick’s side will face Coventry, who they drew with 1-1 on the final day of the season at the Riverside Stadium. In their previous meeting with the Sky Blues back in early October, the Boro lost 1-0 to Mark Robins’ side, however, this was prior to Carrick’s arrival at the club.

In terms of potential opponents in the Championship play-off final, Middlesbrough managed a 2-1 home win over Luton back on 10th December, thanks to goals from Chuba Akpom and Matt Crooks. However, Luton did beat Carrick’s side as recently as 24th April, 2-1 at Kenilworth Road.

Boro’s record in the Tees-Wear derby has seen them win one and lose one, with their win coming under Wilder back on 5th September as Riley McGree scored the only goal of the game. However, at the Stadium of Light, Middlesbrough suffered a 2-0 defeat.

Chuba Akpom has proved to be Middlesbrough’s star man this season, having ended up as the Championship’s top scorer with 28 goals and two assists in 38 appearances. This is a staggering turnaround, having initially been left out of seven of Wilder’s final 11 match-day squads.

It is clear that the former Arsenal and PAOK striker has a strong relationship with Carrick, having described the 41-year-old as the manager that he’s always dreamt of.

Ryan Giles has made the most appearances of any Boro player this campaign, doing so 45 times, alongside Jonny Howson (44) and McGree (43) in midfield. In terms of top scorers, after Akpom, Marcus Forss has bagged ten goals this campaign, while Aston Villa loanee Cameron Archer has fired in 11 times.

Fellow Villan, Aaron Ramsey has been highly-impressive since his January loan move to the Riverside, managing eight goals and four assists in 21 starts.

• Latest match predictions
• Football tips
• Football accumulator tips
• Football bet of the day