Blackburn vs Middlesbrough
Blackburn fight back to edge Middlesbrough
A spirited comeback sees Blackburn overturn an early deficit to claim a narrow victory.
Middlesbrough looked set for victory after J. Sarmiento's early strike, but Blackburn responded strongly after the break. Goals from A. Guðjohnsen and T. Cantwell turned the game on its head, securing a 2-1 win for the home side. This result defied Fipster's low-confidence prediction of an away win, proving Blackburn's resilience in the Championship.
Outcome probability
The new season kicks off with Blackburn facing Middlesbrough in what promises to be a competitive encounter. Both sides are looking to set the tone early, with Blackburn aiming to start strong and Middlesbrough eager to showcase their summer reinforcements.
Key facts
- 1.Blackburn finished 20th last season with 52 points from 46 games.
- 2.Middlesbrough ended last season 5th with 80 points from 46 games.
- 3.Middlesbrough have a significantly better goal difference than Blackburn.
- 4.Middlesbrough averaged 1.74 points per game last season, compared to Blackburn's 1.13.
- 5.Middlesbrough have strengthened their squad with three new signings this summer.
- 6.Blackburn have made no notable transfers ahead of the new season.
- 7.The predicted halftime score is Blackburn 1-0 Middlesbrough.
- 8.The fulltime prediction is a 2-1 win for Middlesbrough after a second-half comeback.
The context
This fixture marks the first league game of the campaign for both Blackburn and Middlesbrough. Middlesbrough have been active in the transfer market, adding W. Lankshear, K. Joseph, and R. Vítek to their ranks, while parting ways with H. Hackney and D. Fry. Blackburn, meanwhile, have made no notable moves this summer, setting up an intriguing clash between a settled squad and a refreshed Middlesbrough side.
Player Insights
Standout players Fipster expects to impact the match — curated highlights, not full squad lists
Home — Blackburn
Away — Middlesbrough
Analysis
Although Blackburn may take an early lead, the prediction suggests Middlesbrough's superior squad depth and recent additions will enable them to mount a comeback in the second half. The away side's goal difference and points-per-game advantage from last season hint at their ability to overturn deficits. Expect a tightly contested match with Blackburn leading 1-0 at halftime before Middlesbrough clinch a 2-1 victory.
Prediction
The forecast calls for Blackburn to start brightly and lead at the break, but Middlesbrough's resilience and summer signings should see them rally to a 2-1 win by full time. This outcome reflects a closely fought battle with the away side ultimately prevailing.
The verdict
As the season opener, this match sets the stage for what could be an exciting campaign. Middlesbrough's ability to come from behind will boost their confidence, while Blackburn will look to build on their promising start despite the loss. Fans can expect a spirited contest with goals and drama.
Form as the teams went into this match — excludes this result and anything since.
Team Comparison
Season shape — attack, defence, form, clean sheets & win rate
Home vs Away comparison
Goal difference in each of the last few fixtures — above the line is a net win, below is a net loss
Season comparison
Goals scored & conceded, goal difference and clean sheets across the season
Halftime Performance
What each side does once the whistle goes for half time
Streaks
Recent-form runs — each side’s most-recent game meets in the middle
Head to Head
Sarmiento
Assist: Whittaker
Afolayan
Yellow Card
McLoughlin
Yellow Card
Guðjohnsen
Assist: Pickering
Cantwell
Sam Morsy
Yellow Card
Sarmiento
Peart-Harris
Morishita
Afolayan
Sam Morsy
Guðjohnsen
Cantwell
Yellow Card
Arfsten
Berhalter
Cantwell
Lankshear
Yellow Card
| # | Team | P | W | D | L | GD | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |  Wolves | 3 | 2 | 1 | 0 | +5 | 7 |
| 4 |  Millwall | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | +5 | 6 |
| 5 |  Middlesbrough | 3 | 2 | 0 | 1 | +2 | 6 |
| 6 |  Charlton | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | +2 | 6 |
| 10 |  Bolton | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | +1 | 4 |
| 11 |  Blackburn | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 4 |
| 12 |  Portsmouth | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 3 |
Match Statistics
Blackburn
4-2-3-1Starting XI
- 2R. AlebiosuD
- 3H. PickeringD
- 6Tom AtchesonD
- 8Sam MorsyM
- 9A. GuðjohnsenF
- 10T. CantwellM
- 15S. McLoughlinD
- 21O. AfolayanM
- 22B. TóthG
- 25R. MorishitaM
- 31Kristi MontgomeryM
Substitutes
- 1A. PearsG
- 4Yuri RibeiroD
- 5Sidnei TavaresM
- 11J. FevrierF
- 17H. CarterD
- 23Y. OhashiF
- 28A. ForshawM
- 29M. JørgensenF
- 30J. GarrettM
Middlesbrough
4-4-2Starting XI
- 1R. VítekG
- 2C. BrittainD
- 6S. BerhalterM
- 7W. LankshearF
- 10A. MorrisM
- 11M. WhittakerF
- 12L. AylingD
- 14M. Peart-HarrisM
- 16J. SarmientoM
- 17M. ArfstenD
- 29A. MalandaD
Substitutes
- 5A. JonesD
- 8R. McGreeM
- 19Leo CastledineM
- 22K. JosephF
- 30Neto BorgesD
- 31S. BrynnG
- 42A. KantéM
- 44C. IbehM
- 46F. CartwrightM
Blackburn
| Player | Pos | Min | Rating | G | A | Shots | SoT | Key Passes | Dribbles |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kristi Montgomery | M | 48 | 7.2 | — | — | 1 | 1 | — | — |
| Andri Guðjohnsen | F | 48 | 6.9 | — | — | — | — | 2 | 0/2 |
| Ryoya Morishita | M | 48 | 6.7 | — | — | 2 | 1 | — | 2/4 |
| Sam Morsy | M | 48 | 6.7 | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Balázs Tóth | G | 48 | 6.7 | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Oladapo Afolayan | M | 48 | 6.5 | — | — | — | — | 1 | 1/2 |
| Tom Atcheson | D | 48 | 6.5 | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Todd Cantwell(C) | M | 48 | 6.3 | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Harry Pickering | D | 48 | 6.2 | — | — | — | — | 1 | — |
| Ryan Alebiosu | D | 48 | 6.2 | — | — | 1 | 1 | — | — |
| Sean McLoughlin | D | 48 | 6.2 | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Substitutes | |||||||||
| Aynsley Pears | G | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Adam Forshaw | M | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Yuki Ohashi | F | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Mathias Jørgensen | F | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Hayden Carter | D | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Sidnei Tavares | M | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Jake Garrett | M | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Jayden Fevrier | F | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Yuri Ribeiro | D | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
Middlesbrough
| Player | Pos | Min | Rating | G | A | Shots | SoT | Key Passes | Dribbles |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Luke Ayling(C) | D | 48 | 7.9 | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Jeremy Sarmiento | M | 48 | 7.9 | 1 | — | 2 | 1 | — | — |
| Sebastian Berhalter | M | 48 | 7.3 | — | — | — | — | 2 | — |
| Radek Vitek | G | 48 | 7.2 | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Aidan Morris | M | 48 | 7.0 | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Maximilian Arfsten | D | 48 | 7.0 | — | — | — | — | — | 3/3 |
| Morgan Whittaker | F | 48 | 7.0 | — | 1 | — | — | 2 | 1/1 |
| Myles Peart-Harris | M | 48 | 6.7 | — | — | — | — | — | 1/1 |
| Adilson Malanda | D | 48 | 6.6 | — | — | — | — | — | 1/2 |
| Will Lankshear | F | 48 | 6.5 | — | — | — | — | 1 | — |
| Callum Brittain | D | 48 | 6.3 | — | — | — | — | — | 1/2 |
| Substitutes | |||||||||
| Cruz Ibeh | M | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Neto Borges | D | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Riley McGree | M | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Alfie Jones | D | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Solomon Brynn | G | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Kyle Joseph | F | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Leo Castledine | M | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Abdoulaye Kanté | M | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Finlay Cartwright | M | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |