Stoke vs Middlesbrough: Summary, H2H Stats, Lineups & Highlights

As Stoke City prepare to host Middlesbrough on January 21, 2026, with kick-off at 21:00, this ENGLAND: Championship fixture promises high stakes in a tightly contested title race.

Stoke City, currently 8th in the standings with 40 points from 26 games, trail the leaders by 12 points. They've earned 20 points from 12 home games this season. Their recent form has been mixed, with 2 wins, 1 draw and 2 losses in their last five matches. They've shown a solid defensive record, conceding 3 goals. At the same time, they've displayed limited attacking output with 4 goals scored.

Middlesbrough, sitting 2nd with 46 points, enter as favorites but face a tough test on the road, where they've earned 19 points from 13 games this season. Their recent form has been weak, with 1 win, 1 draw and 3 losses in their last five matches. They've shown a solid defensive record, conceding 4 goals. At the same time, they've displayed limited attacking output with 4 goals scored.

Recent meetings between Stoke City and Middlesbrough have favored Middlesbrough, ending in a 0-0 draw. Head-to-head results have gone either way in the last few seasons.

In their previous league match against Norwich, Stoke City recorded a 2-0 victory while lining up in a 4-2-3-1 formation. Their starting XI featured Simkin, Lawal, Wilmot, Phillips, Taloverov, Pearson, Rigo, Thomas, Joon-Ho, Cisse, Mubama. The formation provided flexibility in midfield, allowing for effective rotation and positional play.

Middlesbrough's last outing came against Southampton, where they secured a 4-0 victory using a 3-4-2-1 system. Their starting XI featured Brynn, Bangura, Targett, Malanda, Ayling, Morris, Hackney, Burgzorg, Whittaker, Silvera, Conway. The chosen system aimed to exploit specific weaknesses in the opposition while maintaining structural integrity.

Looking ahead, Stoke City are expected to maintain their unknown structure, Stoke City and Middlesbrough are expected to use their standard structures. The contest is set to revolve around midfield control, pressing efficiency, and how effectively each side manages transitions between defense and attack.

Goal trends from the last ten games across all competitions suggest a moderate number of goals: Stoke City's fixtures have averaged 1.9 goals per game, with 4 going over 2.5 and both teams scoring in 30% of those matches, alongside 4 clean sheets. Middlesbrough's games average 2.7 goals, with 6 going over 2.5 and both teams scoring in 50% of those matches, alongside 2 clean sheets. With both sides showing defensive resilience, expect a low-scoring affair.

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