Betting Tips for Today

Middlesbrough enter Boxing Day from second place in the table, with their home form playing a key role in their push for automatic promotion. They have collected 23 points from ten league matches at the Riverside, underlining their consistency and ability to control games on their own ground. The recent defeat at Bristol City served more as a warning than a sign of deeper problems, especially as Boro have already beaten Derby and QPR at home in recent weeks. Although the absence of Riley McGree reduces some creative options, Sverre Nypan and Delano Burgzorg are ready to step in, while Morgan Whittaker remains one of the division’s form players with six goals from his last seven appearances. Blackburn arrive after a 2–0 home win over Millwall and have shown they can collect points on the road, but they remain under pressure due to their league position and a lack of consistent performances. Against a side of Middlesbrough’s quality on their own ground, the hosts are expected to turn that advantage into three points.

Sheffield Wednesday remain rooted to the bottom of the table, with just one league win all season highlighting the scale of their difficulties. Despite a spirited display against Ipswich, familiar issues resurfaced, with a lack of goals and defensive fragility once again undermining their efforts. A lengthy injury list continues to weaken their defence, midfield and attack, forcing constant reshuffling within the squad. Hull, by contrast, travel in excellent form, having won four of their last five matches and currently sit fourth in the table. The Tigers look well organised, disciplined and capable of managing tight contests, as shown in their 1–0 victory over West Brom. The clear gap in confidence, stability and overall quality points strongly towards an away win.

The league positions of the two sides clearly illustrate the contrast in their respective seasons. Morecambe sit 21st with just 20 points, while Rochdale lead the division on 49 points and have been one of the most consistent teams in the league. The visitors have also been dominant away from home, winning nine of their twelve away matches, which reflects their maturity and game management. Morecambe have managed to trouble Rochdale in previous meetings, but the current form and significant points gap tell a far clearer story. The hosts often find themselves under early pressure and struggle to recover once they fall behind. In this context, Rochdale are expected to control proceedings and convert their superiority into another victory.

JS Saoura are a strong proposition on home soil, with four wins from seven home matches underlining their ability to impose themselves. In contrast, MC El Bayadh remain winless this season and their away record ranks among the weakest in the league. While Saoura have scored 17 league goals, El Bayadh have managed only six, which severely limits their chances in matches where they are forced to chase the game. A telling statistic is that Saoura’s top scorer Abd El Kader Boutiche, with six goals, has matched the entire attacking output of El Bayadh for the season. Saoura also come into this fixture on the back of a 3–2 home victory, showing they can find solutions even in demanding scenarios. When combining form, scoring power and home advantage, everything points towards a home win.