Middlesbrough vs Preston North End Prediction: Middlesbrough are going as clear favourites in this game

On Saturday, Middlesbrough will welcome Preston North End to the Riverside Stadium, with the former seeking to return to the winners' circle following a draw in their last match.

After their recent draw, Middlesbrough will be eager to resume their winning form when they face off against Preston North End at the Riverside Stadium this Saturday.

 Manager Michael Carrick lauded his team's performance in securing a point against Stoke City on Tuesday, highlighting the significance of Sheffield United's upcoming fixture against Sunderland.

Despite there being nine matches left in the season, Middlesbrough finds themselves trailing Sheffield United by six points, necessitating the need for the North-East club to embark on a prolonged winning run to bridge the gap.

Middlesbrough will face a formidable challenge from the visitors on Saturday, as they look to extend their impressive home form of 10 undefeated league matches since October.

Steffen; Smith, McNair, Lenihan, Giles; Howson, Hackney; Forss, Akpom, Ramsey; Archer.

Recently, Preston North End endured a poor run of form, losing seven of their last ten matches, and was seen as a team that was not performing up to par.

Since their recent run of seven losses in ten games, Ryan Lowe's Preston North End team has demonstrated a significant improvement, remaining unbeaten across their last seven games and securing 13 points in the process.

Preston's noteworthy defensive stability has been demonstrated through their tally of just three goals conceded during their seven-match unbeaten run.

Although the defense's clean sheet record was interrupted in their midweek encounter against Rotherham United, they remained unfazed as they secured a 2-1 victory at the New York Stadium.

Despite not being among the favorites to contend for the top six, Preston North End is gathering momentum with a favorable fixture list ahead after the international break.

Woodman; Storey, Diaby, Cunningham; Potts, Browne, Whiteman, Johnson, Fernandez; Cannon, Evans.

As Preston North End visit Middlesbrough with strong form and the opportunity to thwart Boro's automatic promotion hopes, the hosts' offensive prowess may give them the upper hand in what promises to be a compelling encounter. Nevertheless, with the visitors brimming with confidence, it remains to be seen whether they can break down a resilient Middlesbrough backline. Middlesbrough are going as clear favourites in this game.

Based on the recent performances of both sides, it is highly probable that we will witness a high-scoring affair, surpassing the 2.5-goal mark.