Simon Dalton presents his prediction for the Championship match.
Middlesbrough have laid down an early marker in the promotion race. They are the only side yet to drop points this season. Preston are also in the top half, sitting ninth.
Preston North End
That’s already a major improvement on last year, when after the same number of games they were languishing in 21st, eventually finishing one place higher. This season they’ve started under Paul Heckingbottom, who stepped in last August. At Deepdale they’ve shown their best form, including a 2:1 win over relegated Leicester City. Both their victories have come at home.
Middlesbrough
For Middlesbrough, it hasn’t mattered whether they’ve played at home or away — they’ve claimed two wins apiece, with an even better goal difference on their travels (5:1). Even Millwall, who eventually lost 0:3, kept them under pressure until the 86th minute when it was still just 0:1. That underlines their strength, but also a note of caution: at the end of last season, Middlesbrough lost all three away games and managed only seven wins from 23 on the road in the whole campaign.
Preston North End vs Middlesbrough Prediction
Preston are well-positioned to be the first side to stop the leaders, and we believe they will do exactly that.
