Preston vs Middlesbrough

13 September 2025 · Championship · 2025/26 · Referee Thomas Kirk

Full time 2 – 2

Half-time: 1–0

  • L. Dobbin 22’
  • J. Storey 88’
  • M. Targett 72’
  • S. Hansen 90+2’

Match summary

Preston and Middlesbrough drew 2-2. Preston led 1-0 at half-time.

In the first half, L. Dobbin put Preston ahead in the 22nd minute. In the second half, M. Targett equalised in the 72nd minute, J. Storey put Preston back in front with a header in the 88th minute, and S. Hansen equalised from a corner in stoppage time.

Middlesbrough had the better of the chances, with 1.52 expected goals (xG) from 14 shots to Preston's 0.75 from 7.

Match stats

39% Possession 61%
7 Shots 14
2 Shots on target 3
3 Corners 4
296 Passes 476
72.0% Pass accuracy 83.0%
28 Tackles 21
13 Fouls 7
1 Yellow cards 3
0 Offsides 2

Key events

Preston Middlesbrough
P. HeckingbottomManagerArgument
0’
Kick-off
8’
M. WhittakerFoul
11’
A. JonesFoul
L. DobbinLeft foot shot1-0 (Preston)
22’
Half-time1-0
46’
D. StrelecM. K. Sene
Second half underway
A. HughesFoul
58’
H. ArmstrongA. Devine
62’
M. Frøkjær-JensenL. Dobbin
62’
M. SmithD. Jebbison
62’
66’
S. H. NypanM. Whittaker
72’
M. TargettRight foot shot1-1 (Middlesbrough)
A. VukčevićT. Small
79’
84’
A. BrowneH. Hackney
J. StoreyHeader2-1 (Preston)
88’
89’
S. HansenA. Jones
90+2’
S. HansenRight foot shot2-2 (Middlesbrough)
90+2’
D. StrelecShot on target
90+7’
D. LenihanFoul
Full-time2-2

How the chances added up

Running total of expected goals (xG) for each side through the match. xG rates each chance by how often similar shots are scored. A goal is marked where it was scored.

0.0 0.5 1.0 1.5 2.0 0’ 15’ 30’ 45’ 60’ 75’ 90’ HT 0.75 1.52 22’ L. Dobbin (Preston), 1-0 22’ 72’ M. Targett (Middlesbrough), 1-1 72’ 88’ J. Storey (Preston), 2-1 88’ 90+2’ S. Hansen (Middlesbrough), 2-2 90+2’ 0.0 0.5 1.0 1.5 2.0 0’ 15’ 30’ 45’ 60’ 75’ 90’ HT 0.75 1.52 22’ L. Dobbin (Preston), 1-0 Dobbin 22’ 72’ M. Targett (Middlesbrough), 1-1 Targett 72’ 88’ J. Storey (Preston), 2-1 Storey 88’ 90+2’ S. Hansen (Middlesbrough), 2-2 Hansen 90+2’
Preston 0.75 xGMiddlesbrough 1.52 xG Goal

Tap a goal for the scorer and score.

Shot map

Every shot and where it was taken from.

 Middlesbrough attacking Preston attacking 
90+2’ D. Strelec (Middlesbrough), from a corner, 0.31 xG, saved 53’ M. Whittaker (Middlesbrough), open play, 0.23 xG, blocked 42’ A. Hughes (Preston), open play, 0.23 xG, blocked 72’ T. Conway (Middlesbrough), open play, 0.22 xG, blocked 72’ M. Targett (Middlesbrough), open play, 0.19 xG, goal 66’ M. Smith (Preston), open play, 0.12 xG, off target 88’ J. Storey (Preston), from a corner, 0.11 xG, goal 25’ L. Ayling (Middlesbrough), from a corner, 0.09 xG, off target 52’ H. Hackney (Middlesbrough), open play, 0.09 xG, blocked 60’ L. Dobbin (Preston), open play, 0.09 xG, off target 18’ A. Hughes (Preston), from a corner, 0.08 xG, blocked 22’ L. Dobbin (Preston), open play, 0.09 xG, goal 30’ T. Conway (Middlesbrough), open play, 0.08 xG, blocked 90+2’ A. Browne (Middlesbrough), open play, 0.08 xG, blocked 90+2’ S. Hansen (Middlesbrough), from a corner, 0.07 xG, goal 51’ D. Strelec (Middlesbrough), open play, 0.05 xG, blocked 46’ H. Hackney (Middlesbrough), open play, 0.05 xG, off target 9’ A. Devine (Preston), direct free kick, 0.03 xG, off target 68’ D. Strelec (Middlesbrough), set piece, 0.02 xG, off target 78’ C. Brittain (Middlesbrough), open play, 0.02 xG, blocked 90+2’ A. Morris (Middlesbrough), open play, 0.01 xG, blocked 90+2’ D. Strelec (Middlesbrough), from a corner, 0.31 xG, saved 53’ M. Whittaker (Middlesbrough), open play, 0.23 xG, blocked 42’ A. Hughes (Preston), open play, 0.23 xG, blocked 72’ T. Conway (Middlesbrough), open play, 0.22 xG, blocked 72’ M. Targett (Middlesbrough), open play, 0.19 xG, goal 66’ M. Smith (Preston), open play, 0.12 xG, off target 88’ J. Storey (Preston), from a corner, 0.11 xG, goal 25’ L. Ayling (Middlesbrough), from a corner, 0.09 xG, off target 52’ H. Hackney (Middlesbrough), open play, 0.09 xG, blocked 60’ L. Dobbin (Preston), open play, 0.09 xG, off target 22’ L. Dobbin (Preston), open play, 0.09 xG, goal 90+2’ A. Browne (Middlesbrough), open play, 0.08 xG, blocked 18’ A. Hughes (Preston), from a corner, 0.08 xG, blocked 30’ T. Conway (Middlesbrough), open play, 0.08 xG, blocked 90+2’ S. Hansen (Middlesbrough), from a corner, 0.07 xG, goal 51’ D. Strelec (Middlesbrough), open play, 0.05 xG, blocked 46’ H. Hackney (Middlesbrough), open play, 0.05 xG, off target 9’ A. Devine (Preston), direct free kick, 0.03 xG, off target 68’ D. Strelec (Middlesbrough), set piece, 0.02 xG, off target 78’ C. Brittain (Middlesbrough), open play, 0.02 xG, blocked 90+2’ A. Morris (Middlesbrough), open play, 0.01 xG, blocked
Size shows xG Goal On target Off target or blocked

Hover or tap a shot for the player, minute and xG.

Lineups

Preston 3-5-2 Starting XI
Iversen
Storey
Gibson
Hughes
Valentín
Devine 62’
Whiteman
McCann
Small 79’
Dobbin 62’
Jebbison 62’
Middlesbrough 3-4-3 Starting XI
Brynn
Ayling
Lenihan
Jones 89’
Brittain
Morris
Hackney 84’
Targett
Whittaker 66’
Conway
Sene 46’

Player stats

Goalkeeper1 player
D. Iversen
90′ 1 2 43 – – – – –
Defenders4 players
J. Storey
90′ 3 1 – 11 5 30 – 1 1 –
L. Gibson
90′ 5 1 – 9 2 34 1 – – –
A. Hughes
90′ 2 – – 6 3 33 2 – – –
A. Vukčević Came on as a substitute
11′ – – – – – 2 – – – –
Midfielders7 players
P. Valentín
90′ – – 16 – – 4 2 4 1 – –
A. Devine Taken off
62′ – – 14 1 – 2 – 3 2 1 –
B. Whiteman
90′ – 1 41 2 – 5 – 7 1 1 –
A. McCann
90′ – – 22 1 – 3 3 5 1 1 –
T. Small Taken off
79′ – – 16 – – – – 1 1 – –
H. Armstrong Came on as a substitute
28′ – – 11 – – 1 – 1 – – –
M. Frøkjær-Jensen Came on as a substitute
28′ – – 10 – – – – 2 – – –
Forwards3 players
L. Dobbin Taken off
62′ 1 – 2 1 0.18 – – 4 1 14 –
D. Jebbison Taken off
62′ – – – – – – – 2 – 5 –
M. Smith Came on as a substitute
28′ – – 1 – 0.12 – – 2 – 5 –
Came on Taken off Sent off Red is the most in that position for the team

Every player who took the pitch, starters first and then substitutes. A dash means none. xG and xA are expected goals and assists. A blank cell means that figure is not available for that player.

Before kick-off

Preston win 30% Avg odds 3.11
Draw 29% Avg odds 3.27
Middlesbrough win 41% Avg odds 2.30

Chances implied by the average closing odds, with the bookmaker margin removed.

Form going into the game

Preston DDWWL
Middlesbrough LWWWW

Last five league games before this one, oldest first. Select one to open it.

Previous and next meeting

 Previous meeting: Preston 2-1 Middlesbrough, 25 Jan 25 Next meeting: Middlesbrough 4-0 Preston, 24 Jan 26  All Preston vs Middlesbrough meetings

Shots, expected goals, timeline, lineups, team and player statistics from Bzzoiro Sports Data (sports.bzzoiro.com). Results and odds from football-data.co.uk.