Middlesbrough look to keep up their perfect start to the season after the international break when they travel to Preston North End.
EFL Championship
Our Three Predictions For Preston North End vs Middlesbrough
- Prediction 1 – Tommy Conway To Score – 2/1
- Prediction 2 – Over 2.5 Goals Scored – 11/10
- Prediction 3 – Middlesbrough To Win – 7/5
First Prediction For Preston North End vs Middlesbrough – Tommy Conway To Score – 2/1
It finally started to click for the former Bristol City man in the final two matches before the international break, with goals against Sheffield United and Norwich City making him the leading scorer so far for Boro. Conway was not named in the Scotland squad for their World Cup Qualifiers against Denmark and Belarus, meaning he will have had the rest that this international break has brought, which could be a decisive edge in this game. While he has not had plenty of opportunities, with five shots so far this season, he has been very consistent with his efforts with three hitting the target and two of those beating the keeper. Preston have conceded in all but one of their games so far so Rob Edwards’ side could have chances to get on the scoreboard.
Second Prediction For Preston North End vs Middlesbrough – Over 2.5 Goals Scored – 11/10
Middlesbrough have been electric so far this season with seven goals in four games so far this season, and will feel they can continue that form with most of their key players not on international duty this time around. Preston have also looked strong but are lacking goalscorers right now with a lengthy injury list. While Daniel Jebbison is a dangerous threat, PNE will be without Miultin Osmajic and Alfie Devine who have been responsible for all four of their goals this season. Summer signing Michael Smith and the Bournemouth loanee will hope they can get chances but face a Boro defence that have conceded just once. Goals should be prevalent in this game but it may skew in the direction of one team.
Third Prediction For Preston North End vs Middlesbrough – Middlesbrough To Win – 7/5
It has been a dominant start for the Teesside club and it may well continue in this game. A fully rested squad for this game with minimal injuries is up against a Preston side starting to be stretched with seven players expected to be missing in this game, albeit with many of those close to a full return by the time of kickoff. The game against Norwich City could hand some hope to Paul Heckingbottom after Boro conceded to the ten-man Canaries and could point to some vulnerabilities, but with Hayden Hackney, Morgan Whittaker and Tommy Conway looking in top form, the Smoggies fans could be cheering on a near-unstoppable attack, and head back home with three points in tow.
Best Odds For Preston North End vs Middlesbrough
| Bookmaker | Preston North End | Draw | Middlesbrough |
| Betarno | 9/5 | 85/40 | 7/5 |
| Gentleman Jim | 19/10 | 11/5 | 29/20 |
| Myriadplay | 9/5 | 21/10 | 7/5 |
Full Preview Of The Game: Last Results And Head-To-Head
Preston North End were handed their first loss of the season against Wrexham in the EFL Cup on the Tuesday prior to the international break, and ended the first phase of the season on a losing note after defeat away to Portsmouth, somewhat curtailing their positive start to the season with two wins and a draw. Paul Heckingbottom’s sit in ninth place ahead of the Championship’s resumption, with impressive wins over two of last season’s Premier League sides in Ipswich Town and Leicester City, putting last season’s relegation worries firmly behind them. PNE had a very quiet end to their window with just one new face arriving at Deepdale in the form of Everton’s Harrison Armstrong, who joined on loan on Deadline Day.
Middlesbrough return from the international break as the only side left in the EFL with a 100% record in league competition, with four wins from as many games to start off the Rob Edwards era. While they were humiliated in the EFL Cup against Doncaster Rovers, the Teesside club have delivered some sublime performances with a convincing win over Middlesbrough either side of a strong opening day victory at home to Swansea City and an away win against Norwich City. Their final game prior to the break also ended 1-0 at the Riverside, inflicting more pain onto Sheffield United. The dominant story of Deadline Day was the future of Hayden Hackney, which ended in the midfielder remaining at the club despite interest from the Premier League. Boro saw both incomings and outgoings in the final throws of the window, with Sunderland’s Alan Browne arriving on loan on top of the permanent signing of Slovakian international David Strelec. Jon McLaughlin also joined as a third-choice goalkeeper, replacing the outgoing Tom Glover. Marcus Forss headed to Bolton Wanderers, with Law McCabe joining him in League One at Plymouth Argyle, while Dan Barlaser headed north to Hibernian.
These two teams have been Championship regulars for a long time, meaning there are plenty of fixtures to dissect, barring the times Boro went up to the Premier League. Since 2010, there have been 23 competitive fixtures between these clubs, with the Yorkshire side holding a slight advantage in this Roses clash, winning nine to Preston’s seven with an additional seven matches with the honours being shared. It was PNE who got the edge last season in the two contests, with a 2-1 win at Deepdale in January, while a draw was played out at the Riverside with this next battle being one day shy of the anniversary of that clash.
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13/09/2025
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Middlesbrough
2
2
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Middlesbrough
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1
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1
1
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2
1
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0
Last Results - Middlesbrough 
08/11/2025
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Birmingham
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1
W
04/11/2025
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Leicester
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1
1
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0
L
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Wrexham
1
1
D
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Sheffield Wed
Middlesbrough
0
1
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Last Results - Preston
08/11/2025
Championship Championship
Millwall
Preston
1
1
D
05/11/2025
Championship Championship
Preston
Swansea
2
1
W
01/11/2025
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Preston
0
2
W
24/10/2025
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Preston
Sheffield Utd
3
2
W
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Birmingham
0
1
L
Where To Watch Preston North End vs Middlesbrough
Where can I watch the game, either on TV or in person?
- Location: Deepdale Stadium, Preston, Lancashire, PR1 6RU
- Date: September 13th, 2025
This game is available to watch in the UK, on Sky Sports+, with kick-off at 12:30 pm.
Probable Lineups For Preston North End vs Middlesbrough
What sort of lineup can we expect from this important EFL Championship clash?
Predicted Preston North End Lineup
- Lineup: Iversen; Storey, Gibson, Hughes; Valentin, Armstrong, Whiteman, McCann, Small; Jebbison, Smith
- Injured/Suspended: Devine, Osmajic, Potts, Thompson, Brady, Keane, Armstrong
- Manager: Paul Heckingbottom
Predicted Middlesbrough Lineup
- Lineup: Brynn; Ayling, Fry, Jones; Brittain, Morris, Hackney, Silvera; Whittaker, Nypan; Conway
- Injured/Suspended: Dieng, McGree, Bangura
- Manager: Alex Neil
