Preston North End desperately need points on Friday, Jan 1 at 4:00 PM in the Championship. With the team sitting in the bottom three, this is quickly becoming a must-win situation.

Middlesbrough come into this fixture in mixed form (1W 0D 1L). Preston North End travel out of form (0W 2L recently), which may hand the initiative to the hosts.

In 10 previous meetings, Middlesbrough lead 3–5 with 2 draws. Their last encounter ended in Middlesbrough won 4–0. These two tend to produce goals — averaging 3.2 per game in recent meetings.

Verdict: This looks an evenly matched contest. Home advantage gives Middlesbrough a slight edge, but Preston North End are capable of causing problems. A draw would be a fair result.