Middlesbrough v Preston North End: Confirmed teams at the Riverside Stadium - two changes for PNE

Ben Whiteman returned to the midfield after serving a one-match suspension, with Josh Earl recalled in the left wing-back role.

Ryan Ledson and Greg Cunningham were the players to make way in the aftermath of last Saturday's 2-1 defeat to Cardiff City, both of them dropping to the bench.

It was the same starting XI which featured in the 2-1 win at AFC Bournemouth three weeks ago.

There was a place among the substitutes for Ched Evans, the striker having been sidelined since the middle of August with a foot injury.

His inclusion gave the option of extra firepower, with numbers a bit thin on the ground going forward of late.

Middlesbrough: Daniels, McNair, Bamba, Peltier, Jones, Crooks, Howson, Tavernier, Bola, Sporar, Watmore. Subs: Stojanovic, Dijksteel, Taylor, Hernandez, Ikpeazu, Silki, Coburn.

PNE: Iversen, van den Berg, Bauer, Hughes, Barkhuizen, Whiteman, McCann, Browne, Earl, Maguire, Riis. Subs: Hudson, Lindsay, Cunningham, Ledson, Johnson, Sinclair, Evans.

Referee: Andy Woolmer (Northants)

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