Pick of the stats: Middlesbrough v Portsmouth

[Opta] Middlesbrough welcome Portsmouth for a vital clash at both ends of the Championship table on Saturday afternoon (kick-off 15:00 BST). Having spent three months in the automatic promotion places, Boro slipped to third with defeat to Millwall and a draw at Swansea over the Easter weekend. Relegation-battling Pompey have picked up just three points in eight games since their impressive 3-1 win at Millwall on 21 February, meaning they now sit just one point clear of Leicester in 22nd, albeit with a game in hand.

Middlesbrough have won just one of their past nine league games against Portsmouth (D5 L3), a 3-1 away win in March 2012. Following their 1-0 win in October, Portsmouth are looking to complete the league double over Middlesbrough for the first time since 1993-94. Middlesbrough are winless in their past five Championship games (D3 L2), their longest run of the season.

Since the date of that first winless game, they've had 48 more shots than any other side (126) and 122 more touches in the opposition's box than anyone else (272). Despite this, they've only scored four goals and have the worst shot conversion (3. 2%), underperforming their xG by 8.

9 (4 goals, 12. 9 xG). Portsmouth have gone eight Championship matches without winning (D3 L5), their worst winless run since failing to win their first nine games of 2024-25.