Middlesbrough vs Preston North End: Confirmed starting XIs with four changes made by Paul Heckingbottom

Preston North End manager Paul Heckingbottom has made four changes against Middlesbrough this afternoon.

Jamal Lewis, Ali McCann, Lewis Dobbin and Daniel Jebbison come into the side, as Thierry Small, Jordan Thompson and Michael Smith drop to the bench. Milutin Osmajic serves the first of his three game suspension while Andrija Vukcevic returns to the squad, after a period out injured.

It’s two changes for the home side, who go into the game sitting second. Dael Fry and Leo Castledine come into the team, with the latter making his first Boro start since joining the club this month. Alex Gilbert and Sam Silvera drop to the bench with Callum Brittain and Riley McGree back in the squad. Alan Browne starts.

PNE XI: Walton; Offiah, Storey, Gibson, Valentin, Whiteman (c), McCann, Lewis, Devine, Dobbin, Jebbison. PNE subs: Cornell, Vukcevic, Lindsay, Nelson, Mawene, Small, Thompson, Frokjaer, Smith.

Middlesbrough XI: Brynn; Ayling, Malanda, Fry (c), Targett, Hackney, Morris, Browne, Castledine, Whittaker, Conway. Middlesbrough subs: McLaughlin, Brittain, McGree, Gilbert, Munroe, Nypan, Silvera, Burgzorg, Hansen.