We head into the final day of the Championship season, and in one of the games, Middlesbrough take on Watford. Both sides have nothing to play for, but I think Middlesbrough especially will want to finish well, and secure 8th position in the standings, which they would with a win.
Middlesbrough Form GuideMiddlesbrough will forever look back at their really bad start to this season as being the reason they are not in the playoffs. They went into the new season with a lot of changes, which didn't help, but just a handful of points early and they would have been in the playoff battle right now, as the second half of the season they have been much better.
They have just one loss from their last five, with two wins and two draws alongside that. They won 4-1 away from home against Cardiff last weekend, a big victory, coming on the back of a defeat at home to Leeds, a game they lost 4-3. They've beaten Swansea in this period, and drawn with Hull and Ipswich, two sides who are fighting for promotion.
Watford Form GuideWatford have made themselves far more difficult to beat since appointing Tom Cleverly as manager, and will look to build on that over the summer, when he has a few months to really shape the squad like he wants. In 14th place, they could go up one or down a couple, but where ever they land, fans should be optimistic about next season.
They come here on the back of a win, a 1-0 success over Sunderland last weekend. Before that, a draw with Hull, and a loss to Southampton. Draws have been coming a lot, five of their last seven games have ended in a draw, as Cleverly makes his team tough to break down.
Match PredictionI will go with Middlesbrough to end the season with a win here. They're a good side, hampered by a bad start, and can round off well with a win here, on the back of a really good win last weekend.