Pick of the stats: Middlesbrough v Cardiff City

Middlesbrough host Cardiff City at the Riverside on Saturday with an opportunity to move to the top of the Championship table. Second-placed Boro enter the contest following consecutive victories over Wolves and Stoke, sitting just two points behind league leaders Swansea. Cardiff arrive in 19th place, two points clear of the relegation zone, despite an emphatic 5-1 home win against Watford on Tuesday.

Middlesbrough have dominated recent head-to-head encounters, losing just one of their past 10 league meetings against Cardiff. The hosts have accumulated 21 points from their opening 10 matches, matching their best start since 1995-96. Additionally, Middlesbrough forward Will Lankshear has scored 10 goals in all competitions, matching Manchester City's Erling Haaland across England's top four tiers.