Championship: West Brom vs Middlesbrough 16/01/2026

Betting on Cards

The clash at The Hawthorns has all the ingredients for a high-intensity, hard-fought contest. Middlesbrough are among the most aggressive teams in the league, averaging around 2.1 cards per game, while West Brom pick up roughly 1.9 bookings per match on home soil. Combined, the two sides commit over 24 fouls per game on average, which fits perfectly with the profile of referee Josh Smith, who is showing an average of 3.83 cards per match this season.

Key midfield figures such as Jayson Molumby, already on 11 yellow cards, and Hayden Hackney with 7, regularly operate on the edge in physical duels. With both teams firmly involved in the fight near the top of the table and Smith having handed out 85 cards across his last 20 matches, the over 3.5 cards line looks like a very solid and natural angle in a game where neither side is likely to hold back.