+0.56 points a game is the venue form gap, in Middlesbrough's favour: Middlesbrough takes 1.84 a game at home over the last two seasons, Cardiff City 1.28 away.
Middlesbrough: 50 league matches in the bank, 10 from this season and the rest from last season. Cardiff City: 50 league matches in the bank, 10 from this season and the rest from last season in the League One.
The question this step asks
Step two is HOME AND AWAY FORM -- the home side judged on its home record, the away side on its away record, because those are the records that will be on the pitch. The last five reach back into last season where this season is too young to answer, and say so.
The two sides
Middlesbrough -- at home
Its record at the relevant venue
This season at home: won 4, drew 1, lost 0 of 5, scoring 12 and conceding 7. Last season at home: won 9, drew 6, lost 5 of 20, scoring 30 and conceding 17 -- 1.65 points a game.
Its last five league matches
Newest first: beat Stoke City 3-2 away; beat Wolverhampton Wanderers 1-0 at home; drew with Birmingham City 2-2 away; drew with Millwall 2-2 at home; beat Norwich City 4-3 at home.
The dugout
The banked record belongs to the club, not one man: 2 different managers took its 32 matches with one recorded (27, 5 apiece), most recently Kim Hellberg with 27. Who picks the team today is not yet recorded this season, so a summer change of manager would not show in these figures.
Cardiff City -- away
Its record at the relevant venue
This season away: won 0, drew 1, lost 4 of 5, scoring 4 and conceding 9. Last season away in the League One: won 8, drew 7, lost 5 of 20, scoring 38 and conceding 27 -- 1.55 points a game.
Its last five league matches
Newest first: beat Watford 5-1 at home; lost to Blackburn Rovers 1-2 away; beat Charlton Athletic 3-1 at home; lost to Bolton Wanderers 0-1 away; drew with Stoke City 1-1 at home.
The dugout
Every one of the 21 banked matches with a manager recorded was taken by Brian Barry-Murphy. Who picks the team today is not yet recorded this season, so a summer change of manager would not show in these figures.
Built 07:04 from matches completed before
kick-off. Every figure is an observed count with its denominator —
not a forecast, and nothing here is a tip or a selection.