Preston v Middlesbrough - Neil Warnock ruling out automatic promotion

Neil Warnock is adamant his Middlesbrough squad is not consistent enough to win automatic promotion from this season’s Championship – but reaching the play-offs is a different matter altogether.
Neil Warnock: Leading the way.Neil Warnock: Leading the way.
Neil Warnock: Leading the way.

Tonight Boro are at Preston North End and the consistent patterns to the inconsistency of both sides point to an away win.

Over their last five matches, the Teessiders have been a win-one lose-one outfit, so having been beaten at Stoke City on Saturday, things ought to look up against a team whose victory over Sheffield Wednesday was the only league game they have not lost at Deepdale.

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“I already know we’re not good enough for automatic promotion because we’re too inconsistent but I don’t think there’s anything else in the league to stop anybody getting in the play-offs,” argued Warnock, whose side are 10th. “The top 12, 14 teams can do that.

“I don’t think we’re good enough squad-wise to cater for injuries and get automatic promotion.

“I’ve always said to the players if we can be two or three points away from the play-offs (at the end of 2020), I’ll be delighted. I’m frustrated we’re not already in there.”

The inconsistency is frustrating Warnock, but he thinks most managers would rather have his problems.

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“We possibly haven’t got enough physical players that we’d like against two or three teams so we’ve got to make up for it in other areas,” he said.

“I probably get more disappointed than them, I know we can win games we’ve lost and where we should be, but I suppose every manager goes through that.

“I’d be worried if we weren’t playing well and creating anything, a little bit like when I came into the club. Last season I didn’t think we could get out of it with three or four games to go.

“Now I think we can beat anybody on our day but that’s the biggest problem – on our day.

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“When we come up against different problems from different teams some of the younger lads find it difficult to adapt to that.

“Most managers are trying desperately to get what we’ve got 90 per cent of, I’m trying to get the 10 per cent we haven’t got.”

Last six games: Preston North End DWLLWL; Middlesbrough LWLWLD

Referee: A Madley (Huddersfield)

Last time: Preston North End 0, Middlesbrough 2, January 1, 2020, Championship.

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