Nigerian forward Chuba Akpom continued his impressive run of form for Middlesbrough with a goal and an assist in their 4-0 rout of Preston North End at the Riverside Stadium on Saturday.
The 27-year-old made it five goals in four league games with a sublime finish past goalkeeper Freddie Woodman in the 22nd minute after a one-two with Aston Villa loanee Cameron Archer.
The strike took his league tally for the season to 24 goals, maintaining his lead at the top of the English Championship topscorers list.
Signing off for the international break in style ???? #UTB pic.twitter.com/5YeXTUgQoT
— Middlesbrough FC (@Boro) March 18, 2023
The former Arsenal striker almost doubled his tally shortly after, but Woodman was on hand to deny him in a half that was largely dominated by the home side.
Archer, however, made it two for Michael Carrick’s men seven minutes after the restart. The 21-year-old, who was on loan at Preston last season, sent in a ferocious strike from close range.
Boro’s third came through the same source as the second, with Archer finishing off a pass from Akpom for his sixth goal in eight games. He fired in a low shot into the bottom corner from the edge of the box.
Finnish forward Marcus Forss made it four in second-half stoppage time, tapping into the net from close range off a cutback from Ryan Giles.
Middlesbrough have now won 16 of their 22 league games since Carrick took over from Chris Wilder in October 2022. They are currently on 67 points after 38 games, three points clear of fourth-placed Luton Town, who played out a 1-1 draw at Sunderland.
Carrick’s men are just three points behind second-placed Sheffield United, who occupy the final automatic qualification spot, but the Blades will have a game in hand due to their FA Cup quarter-final encounter against Blackburn Rovers on Sunday.
Preston, on the other hand, lost their first game in eight matches and remain in 11th place after the defeat.
