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Middlesbrough are set to play Aston Villa at the Riverside Stadium on Saturday in the third round of the FA Cup.
Middlesbrough come into this game on the back of a 3-1 loss to Coventry City in their most recent league game. A brace from Japanese winger Tatsuhiro Sakamoto and a goal from American attacker Haji Wright sealed the deal for Coventry City. attacker Josh Coburn scored the goal for Middlesbrough.
Aston Villa, on the other hand, beat Burnley 3-2 in their most recent league game. Goals from Jamaican winger Leon Bailey, French winger Moussa Diaby and Brazilian midfielder Douglas Luiz sealed the deal for Aston Villa. Swiss forward Zeki Amdouni and South African attacker Lyle Foster scored the goals for Burnley, who had Norwegian midfielder Sander Berge sent off in the second half.
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Middlesbrough vs Aston Villa Head-to-Head and Key Numbers
- In seven head-to-head encounters between the two sides, Aston Villa have won four games, lost one and drawn two.
- Ivorian attacker Emmanuel Latte Lath has managed five goals in 10 league starts for Middlesbrough this season.
- Midfielder Matt Crooks has managed nine goal contributions in 18 league starts for Middlesbrough this season.
- Attacker Ollie Watkins has managed 17 goal contributions in 20 league starts for Aston Villa this season.
- Brazilian midfielder Douglas Luiz has managed nine goal contributions in 19 league starts for Aston Villa this season.
Middlesbrough vs Aston Villa Prediction
Middlesbrough are currently 12th in the league, having won three of their last five league games and having finished 4th last season. Manager Michael Carrick earned plaudits for his side's performances last season, but it has been a slightly disappointing one comparatively.
They lost star attacker Chuba Akpom, who scored 28 goals in the league last season, to Ajax. In his absence, there has been a distribution of goals, with three players scoring five league goals each so far.
Aston Villa, on the other hand, are second in the league, having won three of their last five league games. They have been one of the best teams in the country this season, and their performances have seen them emerge as unlikely title contenders.
While the league title might be a difficult dream this season, a good run in the cup and potentially lifting the trophy would be a solid acknowledgment of their performances this season.
Aston Villa should win this match.
Prediction: Middlesbrough 0-2 Aston Villa
Middlesbrough vs Aston Villa Betting Tips
Tip 1: Result - Aston Villa to win
Tip 2: Game to have over / under 2.5 goals - Under 2.5 goals
Tip 3: Aston Villa to keep a clean sheet - Yes
