Middlesbrough host Preston North End at Riverside Stadium in a crucial Sky Bet Championship clash.
Victory would see Middlesbrough stay third but move to within three points of second-placed Sheffield United who are in FA Cup action this weekend.
Preston meanwhile can go eighth with a win if Coventry and Watford fail to win elsewhere.
Team News
Dael Fry could start for Boro after he was named as an unused substitute in their 1-1 draw against Stoke in midweek.
Isiah Jones could return to the matchday squad after he was left out in midweek but Matt Crooks is doubtful after he missed their last three games with a knock.
Matt Clarke remains absent with a back injury.
Preston could be without striker, Ched Evans after he suffered a knock in their midweek win at Rotherham.
Liam Lindasy (hamstring) is unlikely to be available for selection but Ali McCann (thigh) remains ruled out.
When is Kick-Off?
Middlesbrough host Preston at Riverside Stadium in a 3pm GMT kick-off on Saturday 18 March, albeit untelevised in UK.
Stat Attack
- Middlesbrough have won just one of their last five meetings against Preston (W1, L4).
- Preston are unbeaten in four of their last five visits to Middlesbrough (W2, D2, L1).
- Both teams have scored in three of their last four meetings at the Riverside Stadium, except for Boro’s 2-0 win in March 2021.
- Chuba Akpom has scored eight goals in Boro’s last five home matches (W4, D1).
- Preston have conceded just two goals in their last six matches (W3, D3).
Prediction
Having missed a huge chance in midweek to pile pressure upon Sheffield Utd by playing 24 hours before the Blades, Middlesbrough really need to win this game if want to keep pace in the race for the second automatic promotion spot.
Boro though were certainly tested to their limits by Stoke in an open game where both teams were wasteful amidst clinical goals, yet Boro were fantastic otherwise in their attacking performance overall and I do expect more of the same quality here.
Preston meanwhile also are in need of a win if they’re to boost their own promotion hopes – albeit highly likely via play-offs, and are also in good form which certainly showed in their confident game management in their midweek win at Rotherham despite sloppily conceding from a corner.
Ryan Lowe’s Lilywhites also seem to have the upper hand in recent meetings against Middlesbrough – both overall and at the Riverside Stadium, so this is a potential banana skin for both teams where a draw could swing things either way come end of season.
I though do fancy Boro to get the job done because the players hopefully will be fired up to produce a strong reaction to Tuesday’s slip-up, even though this won’t be an easy contest by any stretch of the imagination.
Prediction: Middlesbrough 2-1 Preston
Result: Middlesbrough 4-0 Preston
Leave a Reply