Middlesbrough hosted Preston North End in a Championship match this weekend.
Boro return to Championship action on Saturday, September 14th, aiming to build momentum following their recent victory.
Middlesbrough secured a 2-0 win over Cardiff City in their final match before the international break, with an own goal and Matt Clarke scoring his second of the season, making him the club’s leading scorer.
Heading into the September break, Middlesbrough sat in seventh place in the Championship, while Paul Heckingbottom’s Preston occupied 21st.
The Lilywhites have managed just three points from a possible 12, with a goal difference of -6, having scored twice and conceded eight times in their first four Championship games.
Boro are favorites for the match, but Michael Carrick might face fatigue concerns as nine Middlesbrough players were away on international duty this month.
Aidan Morris put in a strong performance for the USA in their 1-1 draw with New Zealand on Tuesday night and is now returning to Teesside for the Preston match.
Middlesbrough vs Preston North End score prediction
Middlesbrough and Preston have squared off 109 times in history, with their first encounter dating back to 1892.
Boro have dominated this fixture over the years, winning 49 games compared to Preston’s 35.
However, in recent times, these two Championship teams have been more evenly matched.
Preston have won four of the last six meetings, but Carrick’s Middlesbrough have claimed victory in two of the last three, making this clash a tough one to predict.
EFL pundit Sam Parkin also shared his thoughts on the Middlesbrough vs. Preston match during the *Championship Check-In* podcast, admitting it was ‘difficult’ to pick a winner.
He commented: “This is a really tough one. I’m still going with Middlesbrough. I’ll predict a 1-0 win for them again.”
**Why Middlesbrough need to beat Preston North End**
Despite being early in the season with only four games played, this fixture is crucial for Boro.
Middlesbrough have started this campaign better than the last, but five points dropped against weaker opposition like Derby County and Portsmouth has left Carrick’s side trailing the promotion-chasing pack.
The Reds are already five points behind leaders Sunderland, with a challenging set of fixtures ahead.
After facing Preston, Middlesbrough will play Sunderland away, host a Stoke City side that beat them 5-0 in the Carabao Cup, and then face consecutive away trips to second-place West Bromwich Albion and third-place Watford.
Therefore, Saturday’s match is the most winnable of the upcoming games, and if the Teessiders want to stay in the promotion race, securing three points at the Riverside is crucial.
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