Aston Villa loanee Cameron Archer has scored six goals in his last eight appearances for Middlesbrough
Middlesbrough continued their impressive form under Michael Carrick as they comfortably beat Preston North End to move within three points of second place in the Championship.
Chuba Akpom finished off an excellent team move to put the hosts ahead as Boro took control after an even opening to the first half.
Cameron Archer got Middlesbrough's second shortly after the restart as he blasted home having reacted to a mistake from Bambo Diaby.
Archer drilled in the third before Diaby was sent off for a second booking in the 87th minute. Marcus Forss capped Boro's dominance by adding a fourth in stoppage time.
Middlesbrough have now won 16 of 22 league games since Carrick took over from Chris Wilder on 24 October.
They are three points clear of fourth-placed Luton Town and closed the gap on second-placed Sheffield United who are in FA Cup quarter-final action on Sunday.
Preston, who came into the match unbeaten in seven games, stay in 11th place and their chances of a play-off spot appear to be fading.
- More of Saturday's EFL action
A tight opening to the game - which might have expected between the sides third and sixth in the Championship form table - was brought to life with a fine team goal from the hosts.
Boro began with the ball in defence and effortlessly passed their way up the field before Jonny Howson found Akpom, who played a one-two with Archer before firing low past Freddie Woodman for his 25th goal of the season.
Woodman had to be alert four minutes later as he acrobatically stopped Ben Whiteman from scoring an own goal after Archer had swung and missed at Forss' pull-back, before Preston's keeper palmed away an Akpom effort not long after.
Boro had 73% of the first-half possession, and it was not until the final five minutes of the half that Zack Steffen was called into action in the Boro goal to save efforts from Tom Cannon and Alan Browne.
Middlesbrough's second came after another good move - Akpom's lovely outside of the boot pass from right to left found Giles who played in Archer. It seemed as though Diaby would clear but he missed the ball and the Aston Villa loanee - who played for Preston last season - turned and blasted home from close range for his fifth goal in eight games.
Another superb passing move ended in Archer's second as he fired in low from the edge of the box after Howson had found Akpom. The hosts continued to pressurise Ryan Lowe's side with Archer having a close-range effort blocked by Browne with 25 minutes left.
With the result safe Boro looked comfortable in the final 20 minutes before Diaby gave the ball away to Akpom and tripped him on the edge of the area to see his afternoon end early with his second booking.
From the resulting free-kick Alex Mowatt curled a left-footed effort against the underside of the bar, but the gloss was put on in stoppage time as Giles got to the byline and pulled it back for Forss to tap in from close range.
- Line-upsMatch StatsLive Text
Line-upsMiddlesbrough
Formation 4-2-3-1
1Steffen14Smith6Fry26Lenihan3Giles16Howson30Hackney21Forss29Akpom8McGree10Archer
- 1SteffenBooked at 50mins14Smith6FryBooked at 78mins26Lenihan3Giles16HowsonSubstituted forBarlaserat 83'minutes30HackneySubstituted forMowattat 72'minutes21ForssBooked at 76mins29Akpom8McGreeSubstituted forBolaat 72'minutesBooked at 90mins10ArcherSubstituted forA Ramseyat 82'minutes
Substitutes
- 4Mowatt7Barlaser11A Ramsey17McNair23Roberts25Crooks27Bola
Preston
Formation 3-1-4-2
1Woodman14Storey23Diaby3Cunningham4Whiteman44Potts8Browne18Ledson2Fernández10Johnson28Cannon
- 1Woodman14Storey23DiabyBooked at 88mins3CunninghamSubstituted forHughesat 28'minutesBooked at 45mins4Whiteman44Potts8BrowneSubstituted forWoodburnat 86'minutes18LedsonSubstituted forParrottat 45'minutes2FernándezBooked at 67minsSubstituted forBradyat 86'minutes10JohnsonSubstituted forDelapat 85'minutesBooked at 90mins28Cannon
Substitutes
- 7Delap11Brady15Parrott16Hughes17Onomah20Woodburn25Cornell
Referee:Matt DonohueAttendance:28,304Match StatsHome TeamMiddlesbroughAway TeamPrestonPossessionHome70%Away30%ShotsHome16Away7Shots on TargetHome5Away3CornersHome7Away4FoulsHome11Away15Live Text Post update
Match ends, Middlesbrough 4, Preston North End 0.
90'+6'Full Time
Second Half ends, Middlesbrough 4, Preston North End 0.
90'+5'goalGoal!
Goal! Middlesbrough 4, Preston North End 0. Marcus Forss (Middlesbrough) right footed shot from the left side of the six yard box to the bottom left corner. Assisted by Ryan Giles with a cross.
90'+4'Booking
Marc Bola (Middlesbrough) is shown the yellow card.
90'+4'Booking
Liam Delap (Preston North End) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.
90'+3'Post update
Darragh Lenihan (Middlesbrough) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
90'+3'Post update
Foul by Liam Delap (Preston North End).
90'+2'Post update
Corner, Middlesbrough. Conceded by Brad Potts.
90'+1'Post update
Aaron Ramsey (Middlesbrough) wins a free kick on the left wing.
90'+1'Post update
Foul by Jordan Storey (Preston North End).
90'Post update
Alex Mowatt (Middlesbrough) wins a free kick on the right wing.
90'Post update
Foul by Robert Brady (Preston North End).
89'Post update
Alex Mowatt (Middlesbrough) hits the bar with a left footed shot from outside the box from a direct free kick.
88'Dismissal
Second yellow card to Bambo Diaby (Preston North End) for a bad foul.
88'Post update
Chuba Akpom (Middlesbrough) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
88'Post update
Foul by Bambo Diaby (Preston North End).
86'Substitution
Substitution, Preston North End. Ben Woodburn replaces Alan Browne.
86'Substitution
Substitution, Preston North End. Robert Brady replaces Ãlvaro Fernández.
85'Substitution
Substitution, Preston North End. Liam Delap replaces Daniel Johnson.
85'Post update
Attempt missed. Alex Mowatt (Middlesbrough) left footed shot from outside the box is high and wide to the left. Assisted by Daniel Barlaser.
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Source: bbc.com