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Middlesbrough Deepdale 25/1/2025 - themaclad - 24-01-2025 Middlesbrough Deepdale 25/1/2025 15.00hrs https://www.mfc.co.uk/ MANAGER LAST TIME OUT FORM GUIDE PNE 11 BORO 10 Boro have been better away from home although lost at Pompey last time on the road HOT SHOTS The Fitness Test Brad Potts has returned to full training and will be in contention to make a return from injury this weekend. Midfielder Ben Whiteman will also be back available after serving his two-match suspension in the games against Luton Town and Watford. There's a clean bill of health otherwise, with manager Paul Heckingbottom having a wealth of options at his disposal. Boro In their third term under Michael Carrick, Middlesbrough are enjoying a positive campaign so far, currently sitting fifth in the Championship table. Boasting the second-best attack in the league, Boro have enjoyed some big victories this season, including a remarkable three-game run which saw them win 4-1, 5-1 and 6-2 in November. Carrick’s side have also proven difficult to beat, having lost just twice in their previous 11 Championship outings, with both of those coming away from home. The Officials Referee: John Busby Assistant Referees: Graham Kane and Darren Williams Fourth Official: Sunny Singh Gill John Busby will take charge of his third PNE match of the season on Saturday. The previous occasions were the away defeat to Portsmouth and the home draw against Leeds United. So far this term, Busby has shown 63 yellow cards and two reds in the 19 matches he’s officiated. HECKY Paul Heckingbottom feels his squad is the strongest it’s been since he arrived, in terms of the numbers and quality he’s now able to choose from. With Brad Potts back in training and making his way towards fitness, there’s an empty treatment room at Euxton at the moment. That means the manager has the luxury of picking from a large pool of players who he feels are really competing for their place at this moment in time, not just in the starting XI but the matchday squad. Speaking about Tuesday’s win over Watford, Hecky said: “It's the strongest bench we've had. In the last two games, it’s allowed us to make changes. We want that. We need that. It’s where I want to be. “I think I said earlier in the season that we sort of had 15 or 16 players who you felt you were picking from and then bit by bit as we've got people back, as people have come into form, as people have shown what they can do in the team [that number has got bigger]. “The bench was really, really strong. That's what we're going to need between now and the end of the season.” It’ll therefore be interesting to see what the gaffer chooses to do this weekend when Middlesbrough are the visitors to Deepdale. The two sides played out a 1-1 draw at the Riverside earlier in the season, which was one of the few occasions where Hecky was really pleased to be leaving with a point given how the hosts played that day. After taking four points on the road in the last few days, Hecky’s side will be looking to cap off the week with another three points against Boro, who occupy a Play-Off spot. Hecky said: “That's the aim, but it’s a totally different opponent and problem in front of us. “I think I've said before how good I think Boro are in terms of when they get forward. When they get it right, they’re probably one of the teams who create the most chances through the specific way that they play. “I'm expecting it to be a really good, entertaining, hard, hard game. We've got to get a lot of things right with and without the ball. “It's a game I'm looking forward to, the players are, and I'm sure the fans are as well.” With a red card on Tuesday night meaning Paul Heckingbottom was unable to speak post-match in Watford, the manager shared that he was delighted with what he considered to be a “really good team performance”. Jayden Meghoma was one of three changes made for that victory, coming in for his North End debut following his arrival on loan from Brentford. Hecky said: “His minutes on the pitch the other day are exactly what I hoped it would be because as much as you do your homework on the player, you know in your mind what type of personality you want as well as a footballer and we were really pleased to get him. Then he's come in the door and it’s like, yeah, that's what we hoped we were signing. “I said to him before he came, we'll guarantee minutes and then however many minutes he gets is down to him and how he performs. That's the type of challenge he wanted. “He’s an 18-year-old with a big, big future ahead of him but just like everyone else, we're not putting pressure on him. He's here to just enjoy himself and help contribute to some wins hopefully and then we'll send him back to Brentford in a better place.” Carrick MACS VIEW After two long back to back journeys just a casual 40 mile round trip tomorrow, the Boro a side who have over the time I've been watching us tend to have won more than they have lost, tough team to play and again are up theer in the top reachhes of the league. We got a point up there one of our better away performances. Whiteman and Potts both available, suspect he will make changes and have somme one do a man to man on Azaz as we did in the first match, only 8 points from the play off zone, reachable, maybe! RE: Middlesbrough Deepdale 25/1/2025 - themaclad - 25-01-2025 Preston North End 2 Thordarson, Riis Middlesbrough 1 Burgzorg Attendance: 18,474 (5,154 Middlesbrough fans). Referee: Mr J Busby. Personal view best win of the season, great performance against a very good Boro side who certainly made us work for the three points. In the week the ground became 150 years old, this was a fitting tribute, end to end entertaiment with the home side coming out winners by the odd goal in three. Backed by 5500 supporters Boro started well, caused us no end of problems, defensve blocks saves by Woodman, we just about survived think they also missed a couple of good chances as well, having weathered the storm we grew into the game and began to cause them problems although not giving their keeper a lot to do. The battle between Meghoma and Doak was one to watch both small of staure but both have some skill, both players to watch out for in the future. Boro hindered by the loss of Latte Lath, his replacement Forss did all of sod after he came on. Took the lead about 10 minutes before the break, Os, headed the ball onto Thor in acres of space down the left hand side, wandered towards the area, once there cut inside and curled one past Glover for his first goal for the club. We were in control, Mads putting in a tremendous amount of work and just about deserved to lead at the break. End to end start for the second half just as we look like we were going to add a second, Boro drew level, as has been the case this season they broke away when we lost possession at a corner, short at the back, Burgzorg sent about four defenders the wrong way before planting the ball in the net. They then battered us for the next ten minutes, how we survived is anybody's guess, they looked like scoring everytime they attacked, but we hung in there. Substitutions were made and one of ours Riis got the winner, his initial shot was blocked, but the shambolic Boro defending presented him with another chance which he duly took. Time to hang on again, seven minutes of injury time and we were over the line, seven points gained in a week, seven points from Boro in 6th, funny how things change and a local derby in Plastic land next Friday night, could be fun. HECKY Paul Heckingbottom thought his Preston North End side showed everything in the 2-1 victory over Middlesbrough. Emil Riis was the match-winner at Deepdale in the 84th minute as he netted his seventh goal in eight games against Boro to earn his side all three points. His strike came after Delano Burgzorg had cancelled out Stefán Thodarson’s well-taken opening goal. Hecky said: “The three points are huge and it's what we play for. Too many times I've been here and not been as happy as this because we've only come away with a point and performed really, really well. “Today, we were excellent against a really good side. The pleasing thing is we had to show everything today. “We got to grips with the game after the first ten minutes. Boro looked dangerous at the start and then similarly in the second half they got a counter-attack goal and then our subs gave us a real good foothold in the game again to go on and get the win. Also then after that I thought we managed the game really well.” It was a thoroughly entertaining watch as the game ebbed and flowed between both sides having good moments. The best of them came late on when Riis netted the winner, while Freddie Woodman had to come up with some important saves. “I’m really pleased because we showed everything,” added Hecky. “We were a threat going forward. We fully committed, there were moments where we got it wrong, but we fully committed to being aggressive with them, with the ball. “I just feel that if you allow them, or don't get things right tactically, they can open you up too easily. You could see moments in there, that's why they do create a lot of good chances. “But today we sort of limited those and then when they did have the moments, we either got good blocks off or Freddie made the saves.” It was a brilliant strike from Thórdarson which broke the deadlock at Deepdale, with the Iceland international finding the bottom corner for his first goal in North End colours. Hecky said: “He's got that and I'm glad people have seen what he can do. He's still adapting to what this league is because it's a unique challenge. “People have not seen that goal threat from him, but we see it in training and now everyone's seen what he can do when he breaks into the box, which is great. It’ll do him the world of good to score a goal like that CARRICK Middlesbrough boss Michael Carrick told BBC Radio Tees: "Today I thought it was there for us. We started well, defended well and took control for large parts. "There were a couple of moments where we shot ourselves in the foot. The boys are devastated, I'm disappointed. It is a horrible day to be sitting here with nothing. "We were really good for a lot of the game; when Delano scored, the emotion was great to be part of. We thought it was coming again and it went to other way. On Emmanuel Latte Lath: "He felt his groin, how badly and to what extent I don't know as yet, we'll have to wait and see. It was a blow but I felt we dealt with it well and should have won the game." RE: Middlesbrough Deepdale 25/1/2025 - themaclad - 26-01-2025