Leeds vs Middlesbrough Prediction and Betting Tips: Two bets for Wednesday's EFL Cup match
Leeds host Championship rivals Middlesbrough in a heavyweight clash in round one of the EFL Cup, with the match being shown live on Sky Sports Main Event and Football.
Leeds vs Middlesbrough Predictions
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Leeds beat Boro home and away last season, a campaign that would end with the Whites reaching the play-off final at Wembley, where they lost 1-0 to Southampton, while the Teesiders finished in eighth place.
After last season's play-off heartache, promotion is the only thing on the mind of Leeds boss Daniel Farke and the Whites' supporters.
They are very much favourites to go up this time, though were given an early reminder that promotion might not be a formality on Saturday when they needed a late goal to snatch a 3-3 draw at home to newly-promoted Portsmouth.
Boro, meanwhile, picked up all three points from their season opener - a 1-0 win over Swansea - and have very recent pedigree in the EFL Cup having been semi-finalists last season.
Given the full quota of League One and Two teams taking part in round one of the competition, it's a tough draw for both clubs; one of five all-Championship ties at this stage.
There is a growing belief in Middlesbrough this season and this will be a test of whether they can go toe to toe with a side of Leeds' calibre.
In the bigger picture Michael Carrick and all Boro fans would rather be judged against Leeds in a promotion battle which they hope will materialise.
But here is an early chance to show that they can hold their own against Farke's men, who did the league double over them last season.
Clearly much will depend on team changes, though it was worth noting that Farke sent out a strong team at League Two minnows Salford City in round two of last year's competition and it didn't do them any good at all. They lost on penalties after a 1-1 draw.
And Leeds' recent history is littered with stumbles against lesser opponents in knockout competitions, whereas Boro have consistently done well in the EFL Cup of late, reaching the semi-finals last term when they beat Chelsea in the home leg before crumbling away.
They were excellent on Saturday in a tidy 1-0 win over Swansea, while Leeds were far too open in a thrilling 3-3 draw at home to promoted Pompey.
The two meetings between these clubs last term were fabulous affairs, with Leeds winning 3-2 at Elland Road in December and then completing the double with a 4-3 triumph at the Riverside in April.
Leeds have a reputation for scoring and conceding and that was drilled home at the weekend when they kicked off their league season sharing the spoils in a six-goal thriller against Pompey.
Farke has got countless attacking options to draft in, with Joel Piroe and Patrick Bamford only coming off the bench on Saturday.
Carrick has bolstered Boro's attacking options with the arrival of highly-rated young Manchester City frontman Micah Hamilton, plus Delano Burgzorg and Josh Coburn, any of whom could start at Elland Road.
Hamilton is set to be involved and if the match is open then him scoring at any time looks a fair bet.
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