Middlesbrough v Preston: promotion push meets play-off bid | OneFootball

Middlesbrough face Preston North End in the Championship on Saturday, 24 January 2026 at the Riverside, with the hosts chasing automatic promotion and the visitors looking to steady a top-six charge.

It's second versus sixth, and the reverse fixture in September finished 2-2. Middlesbrough have built momentum, while Preston North End arrive under pressure to halt a recent slide.

Boro have won three straight league games, beating Southampton, West Bromwich Albion and Stoke City. Preston followed back to back victories with two league defeats, both at home, against Derby and Hull.

Selection could matter. Boro list defensive absentees including Darragh Lenihan and George Edmundson, while Riley McGree is also out. Preston are without Milutin Osmajic through suspension, with Robbie Brady, Brad Potts, Andrija Vukcevic and Daniel Iversen injured.

On the pitch, Boro average 1.5 goals per game with 57% possession this season, and Morgan Whittaker's 10 league goals plus five assists mark him as a clear threat (per the league rankings). Preston have eight clean sheets and have conceded 29, and Lewis Dobbin leads their supply line with five assists. The visitors also cross frequently with strong accuracy, so they could test Boro in the air.

A home win would strengthen Boro's grip on the automatic promotion places. For Preston, a positive result would consolidate their play-off position and reset momentum after a tough week.