Championship 26/27 · 15 Aug 2026

Middlesbrough 2–1 Lincoln City

Expected and what happened

No prediction: one side wasn't rated the month before.

Middlesbrough won and made the better chances: 2.2 xG to 0.6.

Best on the pitch by Footybot's score: Adilson Malanda, 78.8 in 90′.

Well above their usual level: Adilson Malanda +38.6, Luke Ayling +21.0, Abdoulaye Kanté +17.2.

Well below it: Radek Vitek −14.2, Sebastian Berhalter −9.7, Kyle Joseph −9.2.

Each side's last five results before this match.

7 Aug 2026	W 1–0	v Wrexham EFL Cup
23 May 2026	L 0–1	at Hull City Championship
12 May 2026	D 1–1	at Southampton Championship
9 May 2026	D 0–0	v Southampton Championship
2 May 2026	D 2–2	at Wrexham Championship

8 Aug 2026	W 2–1	at Derby County EFL Cup

No earlier meeting in Footybot's data.

Player	Min	G	A	xG	Score	vs usual
Alfie Jones Defender	1	0	0	–	100.0	–
Adilson Malanda Defender	90	0	0	0.03	78.8	+38.6
Abdoulaye Kanté Midfielder	63	0	0	0.02	63.1	+17.2
Jeremy Sarmiento Midfielder	19	0	0	0.02	60.6	–
Myles Peart-Harris Midfielder	27	0	0	0.21	58.9	–
Will Lankshear Forward	90	2	0	1.21	54.5	+16.4
Maximilian Arfsten Midfielder	27	0	0	–	53.9	–
Luke Ayling Defender	90	0	0	0.14	53.1	+21.0
Riley McGree Midfielder	27	0	1	–	51.1	–
Neto Borges Defender	63	0	0	0.02	51.0	+14.4
Morgan Whittaker Midfielder	89	0	0	0.20	43.0	+13.9
Sebastian Berhalter Midfielder	90	0	0	0.09	41.5	−9.7
Radek Vitek Goalkeeper	90	0	0	–	40.5	−14.2
Callum Brittain Defender	90	0	0	–	36.9	+7.4
Leo Castledine Midfielder	63	0	0	0.10	34.5	−0.1
Kyle Joseph Forward	71	0	0	0.19	29.2	−9.2

Player	Min	G	A	xG	Score	vs usual
Andrei Coubiș Defender	1	0	0	–	100.0	–
Tom Bayliss Midfielder	1	0	0	–	53.6	–
Ivan Varfolomeev Midfielder	90	0	0	–	52.8	–
Reeco Hackett-Fairchild Midfielder	19	0	0	–	52.4	–
George Wickens Goalkeeper	90	0	0	–	48.1	–
Conor McGrandles Midfielder	90	0	0	–	46.7	–
Deji Elerewe Defender	90	0	0	–	46.4	–
Ryley Towler Defender	90	0	0	0.15	45.8	–
Dom Jefferies Midfielder	59	0	0	0.19	44.2	–
Adam Reach Defender	89	1	0	0.11	42.7	–
Robert Street Forward	31	0	0	–	41.9	–
Ben House Midfielder	71	0	0	0.02	41.5	–
Freddie Draper Forward	59	0	0	0.08	40.6	–
Tom Hamer Defender	90	0	0	0.07	40.3	–
Tanto Olaofe Forward	31	0	0	–	39.0	–
Tendayi Darikwa Defender	89	0	1	–	37.9	–