West Brom vs Middlesbrough predictions: Maja vital to the Baggies hopes

Warren Ashurst

Spotlight

Josh Maja has been in fine scoring form this season

- West Brom have not conceded a goal in three home league games
- Josh Maja has scored in each of the Baggies last three matches
- Recommended bet: Josh Maja to score any time

It is first against eighth at the Hawthorns on Tuesday evening, as West Brom and Middlesbrough clash in the Championship.

The Baggies remain top despite slipping to their first defeat of the season on Saturday, going down 3-2 at Sheffield Wednesday.

Meanwhile, Middlesbrough head to the Midlands having failed to reach the heights expected so far, but they did get back to winning ways at the weekend with a 2-0 success over Stoke.

Team news

Alex Mowatt is in line to start for West Brom

West Brom are expected to name Alex Mowatt in their starting XI, after he made a goalscoring appearance off the bench on Saturday.

The midfielder did not start at Hillsborough having had an injury issue, which saw him missing training for a couple of days, but he looks to have fully recovered.

Mowatt replaced Ousmane Diakite at half-time, while Jed Wallace could also start after playing the last 15 minutes of the defeat.

Boro are likely to start on-loan Ben Doak, despite having an ice pack on his knee following the home win over Stoke.

The Scotland international scored on his full debut in Saturday’s victory and later played down concerns over his fitness.

Finnish international Marcus Forss is also pushing for a start, having returned to training after injury.

The stats

West Brom have kept clean sheets in all three Championship home matches this season – against Leeds, Swansea and Plymouth.

Middlesbrough have so far lost two of their three away league games, both 1-0.

The Baggies have lost just one of their last 10 Championship matches at the Hawthorns.

West Brom have won their last two home meetings with Middlesbrough, including a 4-2 success last season.

The latest West Brom vs Middlesbrough odds are available on LiveScore Bet

Prediction

It will be interesting to see how West Brom react to their first defeat of the season, as they come up against one of the teams they are likely to see as a promotion rival.

Carlos Corberan is building a squad capable of challenging for a return to the Premier League, but several key players will need to stay fit.

Midfielder Mowatt is one of those men, while forward Josh Maja is another integral cog in the Baggies’ machine.

The former Sunderland man has rediscovered his form since moving to the Hawthorns and has eight goals in 19 appearances.

Seven of those have come this season and the 25-year-old, who is the Championship’s leading goalscorer, has bagged four times in the last five matches.

In contrast, the goals have not been free flowing for Michael Carrick’s men, with Tommy Conway their leading scorer with just two.

Boro, who have not won at the Hawthorns on their last three trips, have managed to find the net just eight times in their opening seven league games.

Back Josh Maja to score any time at 12/5 with LiveScore Bet.