Improving Stoke should shade high-flying Middlesbrough

Sky Bet Championship
Sky Sports Football & Main Event, 5.30pm Saturday

Stoke took a while to find their feet in the Sky Bet Championship but they collected ten points from five games in October and can continue their recent improvement by beating Middlesbrough at the bet365 Stadium.

Boro boss Tony Pulis will always be fondly remembered by Stoke fans as the man who established their club in the Premier League.

However, his defensive tactics were not universally liked and are causing a few ripples among the Boro faithful, who are getting frustrated with a lack of goals (just 17 in 15 league fixtures).

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Boro are third in the league and are the only Championship team to have reached the EFL Cup quarter-finals.

But even the cup run has failed to capture supporters' imagination with a sparse 11,850 crowd witnessing Wednesday's 1-0 victory at home to Crystal Palace.

Last Saturday there were frequent boos from Boro fans as Pulis's team laboured to a fortunate 1-1 draw at home to Derby.

It was a reasonable result but Derby looked much the better side and Boro's late equaliser – an own goal from Rams defender Jayden Bogle – was a huge slice of luck.

Playing in such a manner they may struggle to get enough victories against their promotion rivals.

Stoke have not been outside the bottom half this season but are improving and are respectfully priced at 7-1 in the promotion betting.

The Potters followed up a gutsy 1-1 draw at Sheffield United with a hard-fought 1-0 success at Bristol City, lifting them to within five points of the playoffs.

If they are to push towards the top six or higher they need to play some better football but solid foundations are in place and confidence is starting to increase.

Gary Rowett's team are a work in progress but home advantage may just tip the balance in their favour against Boro, who may come for a point and fall just short.

Recommendation
Stoke draw no bet
2pts 4-5 Betfair, Power

Bet on this match at Soccerbase.com

Team news
Stoke
Sam Clucas (knee) and Peter Etebo (hamstring) are back in training and could make the squad. Mame Diouf (hamstring) is a doubt.

Middlesbrough
Ryan Shotton (knee) could be available but Daniel Ayala serves a one-game-ban and Sam McQueen (knee) is out.

Key stat
Stoke have conceded just two goals in their last five matches.

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