Middlesbrough 5-1 Watford — EFL Championship, 25 Apr 2026
Middlesbrough beat Watford 5-1 in the EFL Championship on 25 April 2026 at Riverside Stadium, Middlesbrough. Morgan Whittaker, David Strelec and Tommy Conway scored for Middlesbrough; James Abankwah for Watford. Full match stats, line-ups and player ratings are below. In their last 5 meetings, Middlesbrough have won 2 and Watford 3.
· kickoff·Riverside Stadium · Middlesbrough·Match Finished
Match timeline
- 1-06'
- 2-045'assist: Morgan Whittaker
- Half-time2-0
- 46'out: M. Targett
- 2-148'assist: Kévin Keben
- 3-158'
- 62'
- 62'
- 63'
- 63'
- 63'
- 64'
- 64'
- 74'Handball
- 4-175'Penalty
- 82'out: Thomas Ince
- 83'
- 85'Argument
- 85'Argument
- 5-190'assist: David Strelec
- Full-time5-1
Player ratings
9.9
Top rated
Middlesbrough
- 9.9Morgan WhittakerM
- 8.9Tommy ConwayF
- 7.3Matt TargettD
- 7.2Luke AylingD
- 7.2David StrelecF
- 7.0Alexander GilbertM
- 6.9Adilson MalandaD
- 6.9Callum BrittainD
- 6.9Alex BanguraD
- 6.6Aidan MorrisM
- 6.6Dael FryD
- 6.3Samuel SilveraF
- 6.3Jeremy SarmientoM
- 6.3Leo CastledineM
- 6.2Sontje HansenM
- 6.2Solomon BrynnG
Watford
- 7.0Edouard KayembeM
- 6.9James AbankwahD
- 6.7Imrân LouzaM
- 6.7Jack GrievesF
- 6.5Mamadou DoumbiaF
- 6.5Thomas InceM
- 6.3Jeremy NgakiaM
- 6.3Marc BolaM
- 6.3Othmane MaammaF
- 6.3Nestory IrankundaF
- 6.3Edoardo BoveF
- 6.3Luca KjerrumgaardF
- 6.2Nampalys MendyM
- 6.0Matthew PollockD
- 5.6Kévin KebenD
- 5.6Egil SelvikG
Line-ups
Watford3-5-2
Middlesbrough4-2-3-1
Substitutes
MiddlesbroughKim Hellberg
Substitutes
- 25G. EdmundsonD
- 3M. Targett46'D7.3
- 6Dael Fry64'D6.6
- 32J. WildsmithG
- 16Alan BrowneM
- 20M. K. SeneF
- 22Samuel Silvera83'F6.3
- 9Tommy Conway75'90'63'F8.9
- 23L. Castledine64'M6.3
WatfordEdward Still
Substitutes
- 8G. ChakvetadzeM
- 12Nathan BaxterG
- 7Thomas Ince82'M6.5
- 34Kwadwo BaahF
- 3Saba GoglichidzeD
- 66Nestory Irankunda63'F6.3
- 43J. Grieves63'F6.7
- 42Othmane Maamma62'F6.3
- 20Mamadou Doumbia62'F6.5
Team statistics
56%Possession44%
2.30Expected goals (xG)0.85
20Total shots12
9Shots on target3
5Shots off target6
6Blocked shots3
6Corners3
0Offsides4
8Fouls10
1Yellow cards2
2Goalkeeper saves4
-1.30Goals prevented-1.30
543Total passes437
482Accurate passes370
89%Pass accuracy85%
Middlesbrough
| Player | Min | G | A | Sh | KP | Tkl | Drb | Rt |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Morgan Whittaker | 63 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 1 | 1 | – | 9.9 |
| Tommy Conway | 27 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 8.9 |
| Matt Targett | 45 | – | 0 | – | 4 | 1 | – | 7.3 |
| Luke Ayling | 90 | – | 0 | 1 | – | 3 | – | 7.2 |
| David Strelec | 90 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 1 | – | – | 7.2 |
| Alexander Gilbert | 90 | – | 0 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 7.0 |
| Adilson Malanda | 64 | – | 0 | – | – | – | – | 6.9 |
| Callum Brittain | 90 | – | 0 | 1 | – | 1 | 1 | 6.9 |
| Alex Bangura | 45 | – | 0 | – | – | – | 1 | 6.9 |
| Aidan Morris | 90 | – | 0 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 6.6 |
| Dael Fry | 26 | – | 0 | – | – | – | – | 6.6 |
| Samuel Silvera | 14 | – | 0 | – | – | 1 | – | 6.3 |
| Jeremy Sarmiento | 83 | – | 0 | – | 1 | 1 | – | 6.3 |
| Leo Castledine | 26 | – | 0 | 2 | – | – | – | 6.3 |
| Sontje Hansen | 64 | – | 0 | 1 | 2 | – | – | 6.2 |
| Solomon Brynn | 90 | – | 0 | – | – | – | – | 6.2 |
Watford
| Player | Min | G | A | Sh | KP | Tkl | Drb | Rt |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Edouard Kayembe | 90 | – | 0 | 1 | 2 | 4 | 1 | 7.0 |
| James Abankwah | 90 | 1 | 0 | 2 | – | 1 | – | 6.9 |
| Imrân Louza | 90 | – | 0 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 6.7 |
| Jack Grieves | 27 | – | 0 | – | – | 1 | 1 | 6.7 |
| Mamadou Doumbia | 28 | – | 0 | – | 1 | 1 | – | 6.5 |
| Thomas Ince | 8 | – | 0 | – | – | – | – | 6.5 |
| Jeremy Ngakia | 62 | – | 0 | – | – | 2 | – | 6.3 |
| Marc Bola | 82 | – | 0 | – | 1 | – | 1 | 6.3 |
| Othmane Maamma | 28 | – | 0 | – | – | 1 | 1 | 6.3 |
| Nestory Irankunda | 27 | – | 0 | – | – | – | – | 6.3 |
| Edoardo Bove | 62 | – | 0 | – | 2 | 2 | – | 6.3 |
| Luca Kjerrumgaard | 63 | – | 0 | 3 | 1 | – | – | 6.3 |
| Nampalys Mendy | 63 | – | 0 | – | 1 | 2 | – | 6.2 |
| Matthew Pollock | 90 | – | 0 | – | – | 1 | – | 6.0 |
| Kévin Keben | 90 | – | 1 | – | 1 | 1 | – | 5.6 |
| Egil Selvik | 90 | – | 0 | – | – | – | – | 5.6 |
Recent Form
MiddlesbroughWDLDL
- W22 Apr 26HSheffield Wednesday1-0
- D19 Apr 26AIpswich2-2
- L11 Apr 26HPortsmouth0-1
- D06 Apr 26ASwansea2-2
- L03 Apr 26HMillwall1-2
Head-to-head
- 01 Nov 25Watford3-0Middlesbrough
- 15 Feb 25Middlesbrough0-1Watford
- 05 Oct 24Watford2-1Middlesbrough
- 04 May 24Middlesbrough3-1Watford
- 30 Sept 23Watford2-3Middlesbrough
- 28 Jan 23Middlesbrough2-0Watford
Most recent meetings
Final table, EFL Championship 2025/26
| # | Team | P | GD | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3 | Millwall | 46 | +15 | 83 |
| 4 | Southampton | 46 | +26 | 80 |
| 5 | Middlesbrough | 46 | +25 | 80 |
| 6 | Hull City | 46 | +4 | 73 |
| 7 | Wrexham | 46 | +4 | 71 |
| 14 | Preston | 46 | -7 | 60 |
| 15 | QPR | 46 | -12 | 58 |
| 16 | Watford | 46 | -12 | 57 |
| 17 | Stoke City | 46 | -5 | 55 |
| 18 | Portsmouth | 46 | -15 | 55 |
Before and after
Middlesbrough
- Previous: Middlesbrough 1-0 Sheffield Wednesday, 22 Apr 2026 · EFL Championship
- Next: Wrexham 2-2 Middlesbrough, 2 May 2026 · EFL Championship
Watford
- Previous: West Brom 3-0 Watford, 21 Apr 2026 · EFL Championship
- Next: Watford 0-4 Coventry, 2 May 2026 · EFL Championship
Data updated