Preston North End and Middlesbrough have both delivered a "par" performance so far, to use a golfing expression. Both hold mid-table positions in the Championship.
- Preston North End have conceded at least twice as many goals as they have scored at home.
It’s busy days for these teams as both were in action only a few days ago. There’s no rest for the wicked, or in this case; no rest for Preston North End and Middlesbrough.
Preston North End form and stats
Preston North End's struggle is real here at Deepdale with only 4 points collected from 8 Championship games. The win-draw-lost numbers are ugly: 1-1-6.
The spoils were shared in Preston's previous game, also at home. Visiting Wycombe Wanderers (placed 22nd) travelled back with a draw after a 2-2 scoreline. In the preceding match a 3-2 victory visiting AFC Bournemouth.
Preston are traveling soon after this match as the Championship match at Luton Town awaits in three days.
Preston has huge difficulties finding the net and are scoring on average only once per two home matches in the league: 4 goals from 8 games. It's worth mentioning that 3 of these goals has been scored in their last three home matches. Preston have conceded 12 from these games.
Middlesbrough form and stats
The hunting on away grounds haven’t been very fruitful for Middlesbrough so far with only 7 points returning home. The records show 1-4-3 (win-draw-lose). Middlesbrough has lost their two previous away games and are eager to kill a negative trend in its infancy.
Middlesbrough are travelling again after losing away to Stoke City in their previous match (0-1). Before that, Middlesbrough secured a home win against Swansea City with the score 2-1.
A quick return to home after this game, as Middlesbrough are hosting Millwall in the Championship only three days away.
The attacking power of Middlesbrough when travelling is not overwhelming with 5 goals scored from 8 league matches away. It's not easy to score on Middlesbrough as they have only conceded 7 goals from these away games. It's worth mentioning that 4 of these goals has been conceded in their last 3 away matches.
Head 2 Head
H2H stats regardless of arena (last ten matches): Preston North End one win, five draws and Middlesbrough four victories. As for goals, four matches ended with three or more goals (over 2,5), six games had two or less.Top Goalscorers
  S. Sinclair 6 goals |  T. Barkhuizen 4 goals |   M. Johnson 3 goals |
Preston North End missing players
Middlesbrough missing players
| Preston North End | Middlesbrough | ||||||
| Total | Home | vs | Statistics | Stat | vs | Away | Total |
| 16 | 8 | 4 | Played | P | 3 | 8 | 16 |
| 6 | 1 | 0 | Won | W | 0 | 1 | 6 |
| 2 | 1 | 0 | Drew | D | 2 | 4 | 6 |
| 8 | 6 | 4 | Lost | L | 1 | 3 | 4 |
| 22 | 4 | 1 | Scored | S | 3 | 5 | 16 |
| 25 | 12 | 8 | Conceded | C | 4 | 7 | 11 |
| 100% | 100% | 100% | Over 0.5 | O 0.5 | 67% | 75% | 81% |
| 75% | 50% | 75% | Over 1.5 | O 1.5 | 67% | 38% | 50% |
| 62% | 38% | 50% | Over 2.5 | O 2.5 | 33% | 12% | 25% |
| 31% | 12% | 0% | Over 3.5 | O 3.5 | 33% | 12% | 6% |
| 19% | 0% | 0% | Over 4.5 | O 4.5 | 33% | 12% | 6% |
| 50% | 25% | 25% | BTTS | BTTS | 67% | 38% | 38% |
| 19% | 12% | 0% | Clean Sheets | C S | 33% | 38% | 44% |
| 31% | 62% | 75% | Failed to Score | F T | 33% | 50% | 38% |
| 0 | 0 | 0 | Corners for (avg) | C F | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 0 | 0 | 0 | Corners against (avg) | C A | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1.3 | 0.8 | 1.2 | Yellow cards (avg) | Y C | 1.3 | 1.2 | 1.5 |
| 2 | 2 | 1 | Red cards | R C | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 10.2 | 10 | 6.8 | Shots (avg) | S ( | 12 | 10.4 | 11.3 |
| 3.8 | 2.9 | 2.5 | Shots on Target (avg) | S O | 1.7 | 2 | 3 |
| 37% | 17% | 10% | Goal Efficiency | G E | 60% | 31% | 33% |
- Preston North End have conceded at least twice as many goals as they have scored at home.
- Preston North End haven’t played a single 0-0 game.
| Total | Home | Away | |||||||||||||||||||
| # | Team | MP | W | D | L | F | A | MP | W | D | L | F | A | MP | W | D | L | F | A | +/- | P |
| 1 | Norwich City | 16 | 9 | 4 | 3 | 21 | 15 | 8 | 4 | 3 | 1 | 9 | 6 | 8 | 5 | 1 | 2 | 12 | 9 | 6 | 31 |
| 2 | AFC Bournemouth | 16 | 8 | 6 | 2 | 29 | 16 | 8 | 5 | 2 | 1 | 14 | 8 | 8 | 3 | 4 | 1 | 15 | 8 | 13 | 30 |
| 3 | Reading | 16 | 9 | 3 | 4 | 26 | 19 | 8 | 6 | 0 | 2 | 12 | 7 | 8 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 14 | 12 | 7 | 30 |
| 4 | Swansea City | 16 | 8 | 5 | 3 | 19 | 10 | 8 | 5 | 2 | 1 | 11 | 4 | 8 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 8 | 6 | 9 | 29 |
| 5 | Stoke City | 16 | 8 | 4 | 4 | 23 | 18 | 8 | 4 | 2 | 2 | 14 | 13 | 8 | 4 | 2 | 2 | 9 | 5 | 5 | 28 |
| 6 | Brentford | 16 | 7 | 6 | 3 | 24 | 15 | 8 | 3 | 4 | 1 | 13 | 9 | 8 | 4 | 2 | 2 | 11 | 6 | 9 | 27 |
| 7 | Watford | 16 | 7 | 6 | 3 | 19 | 12 | 8 | 6 | 1 | 1 | 16 | 8 | 8 | 1 | 5 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 7 | 27 |
| 8 | Bristol City | 16 | 8 | 3 | 5 | 19 | 16 | 8 | 3 | 2 | 3 | 7 | 7 | 8 | 5 | 1 | 2 | 12 | 9 | 3 | 27 |
| 9 | Blackburn Rovers | 16 | 7 | 4 | 5 | 31 | 19 | 8 | 4 | 2 | 2 | 14 | 8 | 8 | 3 | 2 | 3 | 17 | 11 | 12 | 25 |
| 10 | Middlesbrough | 16 | 6 | 6 | 4 | 16 | 11 | 8 | 5 | 2 | 1 | 11 | 4 | 8 | 1 | 4 | 3 | 5 | 7 | 5 | 24 |
| 11 | Cardiff City | 16 | 6 | 5 | 5 | 21 | 13 | 8 | 3 | 2 | 3 | 13 | 7 | 8 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 8 | 6 | 8 | 23 |
| 12 | Luton Town | 16 | 6 | 4 | 6 | 14 | 20 | 8 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 10 | 10 | 8 | 3 | 1 | 4 | 4 | 10 | -6 | 22 |
| 13 | Huddersfield Town | 16 | 6 | 3 | 7 | 20 | 22 | 8 | 4 | 1 | 3 | 10 | 8 | 8 | 2 | 2 | 4 | 10 | 14 | -2 | 21 |
| 14 | Millwall | 16 | 4 | 8 | 4 | 13 | 13 | 8 | 1 | 5 | 2 | 6 | 8 | 8 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 7 | 5 | 0 | 20 |
| 15 | Preston North End | 16 | 6 | 2 | 8 | 22 | 25 | 8 | 1 | 1 | 6 | 4 | 12 | 8 | 5 | 1 | 2 | 18 | 13 | -3 | 20 |
| 16 | Birmingham City | 16 | 4 | 7 | 5 | 12 | 14 | 8 | 2 | 2 | 4 | 7 | 10 | 8 | 2 | 5 | 1 | 5 | 4 | -2 | 19 |
| 17 | Barnsley | 16 | 5 | 4 | 7 | 17 | 21 | 8 | 3 | 2 | 3 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 2 | 2 | 4 | 9 | 13 | -4 | 19 |
| 18 | Queens Park Rangers | 16 | 4 | 5 | 7 | 17 | 24 | 8 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 11 | 10 | 8 | 1 | 2 | 5 | 6 | 14 | -7 | 17 |
| 19 | Coventry City | 16 | 4 | 5 | 7 | 18 | 26 | 8 | 4 | 2 | 2 | 12 | 13 | 8 | 0 | 3 | 5 | 6 | 13 | -8 | 17 |
| 20 | Rotherham United | 16 | 3 | 4 | 9 | 15 | 23 | 8 | 2 | 2 | 4 | 9 | 10 | 8 | 1 | 2 | 5 | 6 | 13 | -8 | 13 |
| 21 | Nottingham Forest | 16 | 3 | 4 | 9 | 9 | 19 | 8 | 2 | 3 | 3 | 7 | 8 | 8 | 1 | 1 | 6 | 2 | 11 | -10 | 13 |
| 22 | Wycombe Wanderers | 16 | 2 | 5 | 9 | 9 | 23 | 8 | 1 | 3 | 4 | 3 | 7 | 8 | 1 | 2 | 5 | 6 | 16 | -14 | 11 |
| 23 | Derby County | 16 | 2 | 5 | 9 | 8 | 22 | 8 | 0 | 3 | 5 | 3 | 13 | 8 | 2 | 2 | 4 | 5 | 9 | -14 | 11 |
| 24 | Sheffield Wednesday | 16 | 3 | 6 | 7 | 9 | 15 | 8 | 1 | 5 | 2 | 4 | 5 | 8 | 2 | 1 | 5 | 5 | 10 | -6 | 9 |
- Preston North End
- Lancashire Post - (local newspaper)
- Middlesbrough FC
- Teesside Live - (local newspaper)
- The Northern Echo - (local newspaper)