Middlesbrough vs Watford

25 April 2026 · Championship · 2025/26 · Referee Adam Herczeg

Full time 5 – 1

Half-time: 2–0

Morgan Whittaker 6’, 58’
David Strelec 45+1’
Tommy Conway 75’ (pen), 90+2’

James Abankwah 48’

Match summary

Middlesbrough won comfortably, 5-1 at home to Watford. Middlesbrough led 2-0 at half-time.

In the first half, Morgan Whittaker put Middlesbrough ahead with a direct free kick in the 6th minute and David Strelec made it 2-0 with a header in first-half stoppage time. In the second half, James Abankwah pulled one back to make it 2-1 in the 48th minute, Whittaker made it 3-1 in the 58th minute, Tommy Conway made it 4-1 from the penalty spot in the 75th minute, and Conway made it 5-1 in stoppage time.

The chances backed that up: Middlesbrough created 2.33 expected goals (xG) from 20 shots to Watford's 0.76 from 12.

Match stats

56% Possession 44%

20 Shots 12

9 Shots on target 3

6 Corners 3

120 Attacks 78

57 Dangerous attacks 43

543 Passes 437

88.8% Pass accuracy 84.7%

13 Tackles 18

8 Fouls 10

1 Yellow cards 2

0 Offsides 4

Key events

Middlesbrough Watford

Kick-off

Morgan WhittakerFree Kick

1-0

6’

9’

Luca KjerrumgaardShot on target

33’

Luca KjerrumgaardShot on target

Luke AylingShot on target

40’

David StrelecHeader

2-0

45’

Half-time2-0

Matt TargettAlex Bangura

46’

Second half underway

48’

James AbankwahLeft foot shot

2-1

Alexander GilbertShot on target

53’

Morgan WhittakerLeft foot shot

3-1

58’

David StrelecShot on target

61’

62’

Mamadou DoumbiaEdoardo Bove

62’

Othmane MaammaJeremy Ngakia

Dael FryAdilson Malanda

63’

Tommy ConwayMorgan Whittaker

63’

Jack GrievesNampalys Mendy

63’

Nestory IrankundaLuca Kjerrumgaard

Leo CastledineSontje Hansen

64’

Leo CastledineShot on target

71’

74’

James Abankwah

Tommy ConwayPenalty

4-1

75’

82’

Tom InceMarc Bola

Samuel SilveraJeremy Sarmiento

83’

Aidan Morris

85’

Imrân Louza

Tommy ConwayRight foot shot

5-1

90’

How the chances added up

Running total of expected goals (xG) for each side through the match. xG rates each chance by how often similar shots are scored. A goal is marked where it was scored.

Middlesbrough 2.33 xGWatford 0.76 xG Goal

Tap a goal for the scorer and score.

Shot map

Every shot and where it was taken from.

Watford attacking Middlesbrough attacking

Size shows xG Goal On target Off target or blocked

Hover or tap a shot for the player, minute and xG.

Lineups

Middlesbrough 4-2-3-1 Starting XI

Watford 3-5-2 Starting XI

Player stats

Goalkeeper1 player


Solomon Brynn	90′	2	1	21	–	–	–	–	–

Defenders6 players


Callum Brittain	90′	2	–	–	4	1	60	–	–	–	–
Luke Ayling	90′	2	–	–	3	–	77	–	–	–	–
Adilson Malanda Taken off	63′	1	–	–	4	3	63	–	–	–	–
Alex Bangura Taken off	45′	–	–	–	1	–	31	–	–	–	–
Matt Targett Came on as a substitute	44′								–	–	–
Dael Fry Came on as a substitute	27′	–	–	–	–	–	26	1	–	–	–

Midfielders7 players


Alexander Gilbert	90′	–	–	49	1	–	2	–	3	–	–	–
Aidan Morris	90′	–	–	69	2	–	1	2	2	2	–
Morgan Whittaker Taken off	63′	2	1	24	1	–	1	–	3	–	2	–
Jeremy Sarmiento Taken off	83′	–	–	23	1	–	1	–	4	–	2	–
Sontje Hansen Taken off	64′	–	–	17	2	–	–	–	2	2	2	–
Leo Castledine Came on as a substitute	26′	–	–	8	–	–	–	–	1	2	1	–
Samuel Silvera Came on as a substitute	14′	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–

Forwards2 players


David Strelec	90′	1	1	2	2	0.42	–	1	–	–	15	–
Tommy Conway Came on as a substitute	27′	2	–	3	2	1.08	–	1	2	1	8	–

Goalkeeper1 player


Egil Selvik	90′	4	5	22	–	–	–	–	–

Defenders4 players


James Abankwah	90′	1	–	–	3	–	47	1	1	–
Matthew Pollock	90′	1	2	–	3	2	43	–	–	–	–
Kévin Keben Biakolo	90′	–	–	–	1	1	50	–	–	1	–
Jeremy Ngakia Taken off	62′	2	1	–	2	–	27	1	–	–	–

Midfielders8 players


Nampalys Mendy Taken off	63′	–	–	20	1	–	2	–	3	1	1	–
Imrân Louza	90′	–	–	59	1	–	2	2	5	3	2
Edo Kayembe	90′	–	–	53	2	–	4	–	6	–	1	–
Marc Bola Taken off	82′	–	–	34	1	–	–	1	2	1	–	–
Edoardo Bove Taken off	62′	–	–	19	2	–	1	–	3	1	2	–
Othmane Maamma Came on as a substitute	28′	–	–	9	–	–	1	–	1	–	–	–
Jack Grieves Came on as a substitute	27′	–	–	8	–	–	1	1	3	1	–	–
Tom Ince Came on as a substitute	8′	–	–	12	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–

Forwards3 players


Luca Kjerrumgaard Taken off	63′	–	–	3	2	0.31	–	1	4	–	9	–
Mamadou Doumbia Came on as a substitute	28′	–	–	–	–	–	–	1	1	–	12	–
Nestory Irankunda Came on as a substitute	27′	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	1	–	11	–

Came on Taken off Sent off Red is the most in that position for the team

Every player who took the pitch, starters first and then substitutes. A dash means none. xG and xA are expected goals and assists. A blank cell means that figure is not available for that player.

Before kick-off

Middlesbrough win 61% Avg odds 1.55

Draw 22% Avg odds 4.20

Watford win 17% Avg odds 5.47

Chances implied by the average closing odds, with the bookmaker margin removed.

Form going into the game

Middlesbrough L D L D W

Watford L D L L L

Last five league games before this one, oldest first. Select one to open it.

Previous and next meeting

Previous meeting: Watford 3-0 Middlesbrough, 01 Nov 25 Next meeting: Watford 0-0 Middlesbrough, 07 Nov 26 All Middlesbrough vs Watford meetings

Shots, expected goals, timeline, lineups, team and player statistics from Bzzoiro Sports Data (sports.bzzoiro.com). Results and odds from football-data.co.uk.