F. Ravaglia's four saves kept Middlesbrough off the scoresheet
Watford0 – 0Middlesbrough 
Middlesbrough had nearly three-quarters of the ball and the chances to match, but Watford's goalkeeper kept a goalless draw alive.
Watford had 26% of the ball at Vicarage Road, well short of the 48.3% they usually keep at home. Middlesbrough had 74%, and the match ended 0-0. A goalless draw is a fair summary of the scoreline, but it hides how much of the afternoon belonged to the away side.
Middlesbrough's share needs some context. Away from home they usually have 57.7% of the ball, so 74% was a clear step up. Their chances, though, were ordinary. Expected goals is a way of scoring each shot by how often shots like it usually go in, and Middlesbrough's total of 1.87 sat almost exactly on the 1.92 they average on their travels. Thirteen of their 16 shots came from inside the box, and four were on target.
Ball possession
The difference lies in Watford's side of the ledger. Their expected goals came to 0.39, against 0.95 in a typical home game and 1.39 for the average side in this league. Watford took eight shots, and only one of them was on target. Iker Bravo had two of those eight, and one of his found the target, but the attack as a whole rarely asked the visiting goalkeeper a question.
The reason the scoreline stayed level was F. Ravaglia. He made four saves, while Middlesbrough's keeper had to make only one at the other end, and that gap is the story of the match. The chances Middlesbrough created were more than Watford usually concede at home, so the goalkeeper was doing work that his defence could not fully do for him.
The visitors' defence had a quieter afternoon than their attack. A. Morris won nine of his duels, more than anyone else on the pitch, and he was a steady presence while Watford found little space. Discipline was not a problem for either side in terms of dismissals, as nobody was sent off, but Middlesbrough picked up three yellow cards to Watford's one.
The table places this draw in a clear context. Watford sit 20th with 14 points from 14 matches, and at home they have four wins, two draws and eight defeats, having conceded 23 goals. Middlesbrough are second on 28 points, with eight wins and four draws away from home and only two defeats.
Recent form points the same way. Watford have won two of their last six matches and lost four. Middlesbrough have won four of theirs, drawn one and lost one.
M. Peart-Harris2 duels won
A. Morris3 chances created
J. Sarmiento2 chances created
A. Phillips3 duels won