Championship side Preston North End could sack manager Frankie McAvoy if his side lose against Middlesbrough tomorrow night, according to Lancs Live.

This report comes after the Lilywhites' 2-1 home loss against Cardiff City at the weekend, going 1-0 in the second minute through Sean Maguire but being undone by set-pieces in the second half as Mark McGuiness and James Collins sealed all three points for the visitors.

Coming into that game off the back of a 3-0 defeat against Nottingham Forest before the international break, this was the last thing McAvoy would have wanted and as per Lancs Live, the Lancashire outfit's board are said to be alarmed by results.

Winning just five of his opening 17 league games of the 2021/22 season and failing to turn draws into wins, they currently find themselves in 16th position and just six points off the relegation zone at this stage.

They would even be down in 18th had Derby County and Reading not received their points deduction, a real source of concern for the second-tier side that gave him a permanent deal in May after seeing him four league games on the bounce in the latter stages of 2020/21.

Initially being appointed as an interim boss after the dismissal of Alex Neil in March, his eight-month stay could come to an end with a defeat against a Middlesbrough side that will be eager to impress under new man Chris Wilder.

He would be the fifth Championship manager to depart this season, following in the footsteps of Chris Hughton, Mick McCarthy, Markus Schopp and Neil Warnock.

The Verdict:

It does seem as though there needs to be a change at Deepdale if Preston want to progress, because their second-half showing against Cardiff was abject and this hasn't helped the atmosphere surrounding the club at this stage.

However, the problems in Lancashire seem to be running deeper than the current manager. They may be well-run financially and have had a reasonable amount of stability in recent seasons - but where is the long-term plan?

This is not only a squad, but a club currently lacking identity at this stage and it does feel like there needs to be an injection of fresh blood at all levels if the Lilywhites want to lift themselves from lower midtable mediocrity to a more promising position.

They have the potential to do so with Ali McCann looking like a shrewd summer addition and Emil Riis stepping up to the plate this term - but more needs to be done to get fans excited again and freshening things up could go a long way in securing their long-term future in the Championship.

Otherwise, they risk slipping down further and with Barnsley bringing in a new manager, Cardiff improving, Hull City picking up a few good results and Peterborough United likely to fight until the bitter end, this would be a frightening prospect for McAvoy's side's fans.