Middlesbrough cannot afford to drop any points when they face Preston North End on Saturday.
Boro’s 2024/25 season has got off to a mixed start with seven points accumulated from a possible 12.
That is a much better return than what the Teessiders managed in their opening Championship fixtures of 2023/24 – zero wins from their first five.
But Michael Carrick will still likely feel his team could and probably should have earned more points last month, especially against Portsmouth and Derby County.
After a brief break, Middlesbrough face Preston North End this weekend, aiming to build on their 2-0 victory over Cardiff City on August 31st.
The Preston clash is a must-win for Carrick given Paul Heckingbottom’s side are currently 21st in the Championship table and Boro have much tougher fixtures against the likes of Sunderland and Watford on the horizon.
With Saturday’s game potentially so important to Middlesbrough’s season, we have taken a look at three selection calls Carrick has to get right against Preston.
Who will Michael Carrick start at centre-back vs Preston North End
Boro’s main issue in the early stages of the 2024/25 campaign has been their depleted centre-back ranks.
With three senior players out injured, Carrick has been forced to experiment with who he starts alongside Matt Clarke.
Jonny Howson, Harley Hunt and Luke Ayling have all partnered the Englishman so far this term and another big decision needs to be made this weekend.
Hunt lacks experience and though Ayling has performed ok next to Clarke, he is a natural right-back and has been caught out on a couple of occasions when operating through the middle.
The deadline day addition of George Edmundson has given Carrick a fresh option to pick from against Preston and as he is the only natural, senior stopper available, he is probably the best choice to start at the Riverside.
Anfernee Dijksteel vs Luke Ayling
If Edmundson does start at centre-back, it will give Carrick another selection headache in his backline.
Ayling was sensational during his six-month loan stint on Teesside in 2023/24 and looked sharp in the opening couple of games before being moved into a centre-back role this term.
In his absence, Anfernee Dijksteel has managed to play his way back into the eleven after being a fringe star for much of the previous two campaigns.
Dijksteel is Middlesbrough’s highest-rated player in 2024/25 and Carrick will have to decide if the right-back has done enough to keep his place over Ayling for the Preston meeting.
Emmanuel Latte Lath must return for Middlesbrough vs Preston North End
Emmanuel Latte Lath started Boro’s last Championship fixture on the bench following some deadline day drama.
Ipswich Town wanted to sign Latte Lath and when Middlesbrough turned a bid down, the Ivorian decided not to travel with the rest of the squad to Wales for the Cardiff clash.
However, Latte Lath eventually agreed to stay at Boro and joined his side at the Cardiff City Stadium later in the day.
But the 25-year-old’s antics the day prior saw him begin the game on the bench, with Delano Burgzorg starting as Carrick’s number nine.
The Dutchman underperformed in this role and it is clear Latte Lath must come straight back into the team this weekend.