GolVolt — Middlesbrough vs Portsmouth: preview, line-ups, chances

What to watch for

Facts from our data worth knowing before kick-off. After the match we check them ✓ / ✗.

Player in form

Will Lankshear: 7 goals in 5 league matches

Goals7 xG3.46

Scoring more than his chances suggest (xG 3.5).

Streak

Middlesbrough unbeaten in 8 matches

WDDWWDWW

All competitions, friendlies excluded: 5 wins and 3 draws. Last defeat: 8 September, 0:3 against Crystal Palace.

Last time

Last meeting, 11 April: Middlesbrough – Portsmouth 0:1

DWWW

Portsmouth have won the last 3 meetings.

Streak

Middlesbrough have scored in 8 matches in a row

WDDWWDWW

All competitions, friendlies excluded: 22 goals in those matches.

Attack

Middlesbrough score 2.8 goals per match

Middlesbrough2.8 Portsmouth1.4

Last 5 matches in all competitions. Portsmouth score 1.4.

Players to watch

Championship, this season.

Will Lankshear

Middlesbrough · forward

13goals 0assists 7.39avg rating

Last match, Charlton Athletic: 2 goals, rating 8.4.

Adrian Segečić

Portsmouth · midfielder

2goals 2assists 6.91avg rating

Last match, Burnley: rating 6.0.

Who is out

Injuries and suspensions

The list usually arrives about 48 hours before kick-off. There is none for this match yet.

Recent matches

Bar height is the goal difference. Hover or tap a bar for the details.

“This set-up” is Middlesbrough at home and Portsmouth away, as in this match.

Middlesbrough

at home · 10

7W3D0L2.3scored per match1.0conceded per match

Portsmouth

away · 10

3W3D4L1.1scored per match1.4conceded per match

Head to head

4 meetings since 2024.

Last time · 11 Apr 2026 · Championship Middlesbrough 0:1 Portsmouth Chaplin 90+7'. Portsmouth: 3 wins in a row in this fixture.

0wins

1 draw2.2 goals per match · both scored in 2 of 4

3wins

Expected lineups

For now, the last starting XI: Middlesbrough (4-2-3-1, last: Charlton Athletic) · Portsmouth (4-2-3-1, last: Burnley).

Official around 15:00, Sat 19 Dec

RVVitek CBBrittain APPhillips AMMalanda NBBorges SBBerhalter AMMorris ADCozier-Duberry RMMcGree TCConway WLLankshear NSSchmid JMMeghoma MDDia RPPoole ZSSwanson IMMohamed MPPack RMKavuma-McQueen ASSegečić AKKamara MMMilovanović

MiddlesbroughPortsmouth

When the provider publishes the expected XI (usually a day before the match), it replaces the last one. A player on the absence list stays on the pitch as a pale, dashed “ghost”.

Who wins?

The provider's forecast usually arrives a few days before kick-off.

Pro analysisGolVolt ProPro extends the free match profile with its own goals model, lineup stability and results from similar fixtures. Coverage depends on the available data.

Pro analysis

GolVolt Pro

Pro extends the free match profile with its own goals model, lineup stability and results from similar fixtures. Coverage depends on the available data.

Volt matchup

62.9 50.0