Middlesbrough boss Chris Wilder on why he has no interest in final-day events at former club Sheffield United or Luton

The Blades, who welcome newly-crowned champions Fulham at Bramall Lane and the Hatters, who entertain Reading at Kenilworth Road, are in the box seat to claim the last two positions heading into a pivotal final game of the regular campaign.

To gatecrash the top six, seventh-placed Boro - who will be backed by a big travelling contingent of 5,600 at Preston - must win, combined with a defeat for the Blades or Luton failing to win.

United's goal difference (+14) is two better than Boro's (+12). Luton's goal difference has been reduced to plus seven after their 7-0 drubbing at Fulham on Monday. Wilder's side's goal difference is five better than Luton's.

One place below Boro, Millwall have a very slight chance of securing a play-off spot.

The Lions will be in the play-offs if they win at Bournemouth, Luton lose and Boro fail to win.

If the Londoners win and the Blades lose with a six-goal swing - they will also be in the play-offs as long as Luton lose and Boro fail to win.

For his part, Wilder is not concerning himself with permutations, but the one thing his side can control. Events at Deepdale.

Wilder, who welcomes back fit-again Paddy McNair, said: "I am not interested in anybody else. I am really not. What comes of it, 'what time it is', 'let's work it out'. What will be, will be...

"My approach and the coaches and teams' approach really is: 'Can we go and win a game of football'. Possibly right up to the last 10 minutes of a game and then you analyse it as well.

"I cannot control (events elsewhere). Anybody who has tried 'to suck me in' over the last month in terms of 'what's happening at my former club' and 'what happens at Luton and what can happen.'...

"You (the press) want a drama and how it wants to play out and you want a silly comment from me which I am not going to give. I am a professional, respect the opposition and the teams in and around us.

"As I said last week, regarding what I said about Sheffield United and Paul Heckingbottom and Nathan (Jones) at Luton and Marco (Silva - Fulham manager) and congratulations to Scott (Parker) who has done a brilliant job at Bournemouth. We are competitors, but all know the game and are all after three points on Saturday afternoon.

"There's a thousand things that managers will say at this stage of the season to you guys in the press and everybody will look at it in different ways in terms of what everybody has got to play for and hasn't got to play for. 'Have they been on the lash or are they taking it seriously.' The pressure on other teams....

"It's hypothetical isn't it. It's about what we do on Saturday lunch-time."