Some Boro fans called for Aitor Karanka to replace Tony Pulis following Wednesday’s Riverside defeat.
It was a bad night at the office for Middlesbrough on Wednesday.
They fell to their second home defeat in a row, failing to hang on to a lead as Preston North End ran out 2-1 winners in their Championship clash at the Riverside Stadium.
Tony Pulis’s charges took the lead just after the half hour mark when Ashley Fletcher rifled an effort home via a Jordan Storey deflection after after Mo Besic’s run and pass had played the striker in.
However, the second half brought controversy as Keith Stroud sent off defender Daniel Ayala just after the hour for his challenge on Brandon Barker, a decision which seemed to enrage the Boro contingent.
Preston, who are now unbeaten in 11 games, levelled from the resulting free kick when Paul Gallagher’s effort found the net, and with just eight minutes remaining, substitute Jayden Stockley headed home a winner.
Boro remain in the Championship’s playoff places in fifth but seventh-placed Bristol City are just two points behind, and following the game, a number of the Teesside outfit’s fans took to Twitter to express their feelings.
One particular theme was the future of Tony Pulis, with former Boro manager Aitor Karanka being urged to consider returning to the Riverside:
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