Championship · 2026

Stoke City vs Middlesbrough · Championship

vsPre-match analysis

Season

Season averages, with the sample size beside each metric.

Goals scored
1.632
Expected goals
0.931.93
Shots
11.917.7
Possession
46.5%61.4%

30-second read

What the record shows

One pattern stands out in the record: middlesbrough's shot volume and the opposing shot-allowance context sit above their competition baselines. The next-strongest reading is weaker: middlesbrough have recorded the higher season possession share. Limitation: At least one team lacks a recent completed match near this fixture cutoff.

Stoke City's recent record differs from the season

weak

Stoke City's last-five goals scored average is above their season average.

2 goals/match ▲Goals forLast 5 · Season1.63 goals/match
Evidence and caveat

Comparison: An unweighted last-five average is compared with the unweighted season average.

Window: last_5 versus season

MetricLast 5SeasonBaseline
Goals for2 goals/match1.63 goals/match1.33 goals/match

Caveat: Five matches are sensitive to opponent mix and isolated match states.

Middlesbrough show a distinct attacking-volume record

moderate

Middlesbrough's shot volume and the opposing shot-allowance context sit above their competition baselines.

11.9 shots/match ▲ShotsStoke City · Middlesbrough17.7 shots/match
Evidence and caveat

Comparison: Team shot volume is paired with the opponent's recorded shot allowance.

Window: season

MetricStoke CityMiddlesbroughBaseline
Shots11.9 shots/match17.7 shots/match13 shots/match
Shots against13.9 shots/match11.3 shots/match13 shots/match

Caveat: Shot volume describes activity; it does not establish finishing quality or a match outcome.

The teams have contrasting possession records

moderate

Middlesbrough have recorded the higher season possession share.

46.5%PossessionStoke City · Middlesbrough● 61.4%
Evidence and caveat

Comparison: The recorded possession gap is 14.9 percentage points.

Window: season

MetricStoke CityMiddlesbroughBaseline
Possession46.5%61.4%49.9%

Caveat: Possession share does not show where possession occurred or how chances were created.

Metric comparison

Team comparison

Season averages, with the sample size beside each metric.

Where the edge is

Season: Stoke City favored in 2 of 13 directional metrics · Middlesbrough in 9 · 2 too close

recorded edge higher value (descriptive) too close

Window

Season

Stoke City8 matchesMiddlesbrough8 matches
1.63 goals/matchGoals scored8/8▲ 2 goals/match
1.5 goals/matchGoals allowed8/81.5 goals/match
0.93 xG/matchExpected goals8/7▲ 1.93 xG/match
11.9 shots/matchShots8/7▲ 17.7 shots/match
4.13 shots/matchShots on target8/7▲ 5.29 shots/match
46.5%Possession8/7● 61.4%
4.5 corners/matchCorners8/7● 6.14 corners/match
15.4 fouls/matchFouls8/79.86 fouls/match

History

Head-to-head

Recent meetings between these teams.

Last 5 meetings

1Stoke City
1Draws
3Middlesbrough
Stoke City — Middlesbrough · Championship1–2
Middlesbrough — Stoke City · Championship0–0
Stoke City — Middlesbrough · Championship1–3
Middlesbrough — Stoke City · Championship2–0
Stoke City — Middlesbrough · Championship2–0

Head-to-Head & Recent Meetings

Evidence quality

How much supports this analysis

Grade B · Useful evidenceUseful evidence — limited
Season samples8 / 8home / away teams
Recent samples5 / 5last-five windows
Freshness24 daysstale at cutoff
  • At least one team lacks a recent completed match near this fixture cutoff.

Known unknowns

  • Lineups, injuries, suspensions and tactical changes are not available in the retained dataset.
  • Some metrics are unavailable or below their observation minimum: cards.
  • The nearest completed-match evidence is stale relative to this fixture cutoff.
Analysis cutoff: Tue, 13 Oct 2026, 19:00 UTC · analysis-v4

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