GEORGE ELEK: Looking for value in the Tyne-Wear Derby

You’d be forgiven for never tuning into Monday Night Championship fare ever again, such was the absence of any kind of entertainment to last week’s episode featuring Burnley and Leeds. I think that 0-0 draw may genuinely be the worst game of football I’ve ever seen, and I was at England 0-0 Costa Rica in Belo Horizonte in 2014.

There is little chance of this being such a non-event, with Middlesbrough and Sunderland among the league’s entertainers and both desperate for a result here. That there is some needle between these sides won’t do any harm to the spectacle, so I implore you to give the Championship one chance to redeem itself. It won’t disappoint.

Sunderland have been near flawless at home this season, but threw in a rare clanger last weekend when conceding late to lowly Plymouth Argyle to only take a point from what looked like a home banker. It’s a different story on the road though for Regis Le Bris’ side, who have won six away games this season but all against teams currently in the bottom seven.

In their seven trips to teams currently between 1st-16th they haven’t won any, drawing five and losing two. Both defeats, against Sheffield United and Watford, were only by a solitary goal so it’s not like Sunderland are a poor side on the road, but their ability to dominate games at The Stadium of Light doesn’t track to their away form.

It’s therefore hard to make a strong case for them at 19/10 at a Middlesbrough side who are generally strong when playing at home. Michael Carrick’s side have often been their own worst memory at times this season, finding ways to drop points in games they deserved to win, but they are generally a solid proposition in front of their own fans.

They dealt with a difficult situation well when hosting WBA last time out at The Riverside, beating them 2-0 in Tony Mowbray’s first game back in the dugout for the Baggies. Mowbray is a homegrown Boro legend, both as a player and a manager, and it could have been a difficult game to navigate, but Boro did it well.

The one seed of doubt when assessing whether the 13/10 about Boro could be the play is the squad churn that’s likely between now and the end of the transfer window. Striker Emmanuel Latte Lath is expected to leave the club for Atlanta United, with rumoured replacement David Strelec surely unlikely to come straight into the side.

There are just enough doubts that Boro will be at their best here and, given the bitty nature of games between local rivals and how well matched the two sides are, this looks like one of those games where the draw might not be the least likely result of the three.  At 12/5 it looks the best bet and I’d be surprised if either side ran away with this.

1pt Draw @ 12/5