The hosts suffered a defeat to Bristol City last weekend after a pleasing start to their campaign, while their visitors are yet to be beaten or even concede a goal in England's second tier.

Match preview

Cardiff City manager Steve Morison on August 17, 2022 © Reuters

Under the management of Steve Morison and with a refreshed squad following a busy summer transfer window, Cardiff City headed into the new Championship season with confidence, and they made a positive start with a 1-0 home victory over newly-relegated Norwich City.

A defeat to Reading and an exit from the EFL Cup followed, but the Bluebirds were able to return to winning ways against Birmingham City on home turf as Jaden Philogene-Bidace hit the only goal of the game in the 17th minute.

They then made it seven points from four outings with a creditable goalless draw away at West Bromwich Albion, before heading into a Severnside Derby away at Bristol City last weekend.

The Welsh outfit were unable to secure bragging rights over their rivals in that contest, though, as goals from Tommy Conway and Rob Atkinson either side of half time condemned them to a 2-0 defeat at Ashton Gate.

Hoping to bounce back to winning ways on Saturday, Morison's men should take some confidence from their perfect record on home turf thus far and will look to make it three wins from three league games at the Cardiff City Stadium on Saturday.

Preston North End manager Ryan Lowe on August 20, 2022 © Reuters

They will have to do what no other side has managed to do in the Championship so far, though, with Preston North End yet to concede in five league matches.

Such a record will certainly be pleasing to Ryan Lowe, although they have managed to win just one of those five, as the campaign began with stalemates against Wigan Athletic and Hull City.

After a 4-1 beating of Huddersfield Town in the EFL Cup first round, the Lilywhites were able to put a first win on the board against Luton Town, as Brad Potts hit the only goal of the game and their only league goal thus far, before playing out another draw against newly-promoted Rotherham United.

In their most recent league outing, Lowe's men travelled to take on promotion-hopefuls Watford and kept a fifth straight clean sheet to leave Vicarage Road with a creditable point, before travelling to take on Wolverhampton Wanderers in the EFL Cup on Tuesday.

That trip eventually resulted in a 2-1 defeat, despite Ben Woodburn pulling a second-half goal back, and the Lilywhites will now focus on building on their fine defensive record with more goals to pick up a second league win of the campaign.

Cardiff City Championship form:

Cardiff City form (all competitions):

Preston North End Championship form:

Preston North End form (all competitions):

Team News

Joe Ralls in action for Cardiff City on August 17, 2022 © Reuters

Cardiff City will remain without centre-back Curtis Nelson due to injury, although Cedric Kipre was fit to return and join Perry Ng in the middle of the back four last weekend.

Further forward, midfielder Joe Ralls will be vying to come back in after Romaine Sawyers, Andy Rinomhota and Ryan Wintle were preferred in the engine room at Ashton Gate.

There is also competition for places in attack, as Sheyi Ojo, Max Watters and Callum O'Dowda were deployed as a front three last weekend with Jaden Philogene-Bidace, Kion Etete, Rubin Colwill and Mark Harris all vying to break into the starting XI.

Although he would have rather deployed an unchanged back three, given their impenetrable record in the Championship thus far, Preston boss Ryan Lowe will be forced into an alteration as Andrew Hughes has picked up an injury, meaning Greg Cunningham could join Liam Lindsay and Jordan Storey.

Despite failing to find the net in the league so far this season, star forward Emil Riis Jakobsen is expected to come back in from the outset to lead the line.

That could see the place of either Troy Parrott or one of the Lilywhites' midfielders put at risk, but Alan Browne, Ryan Ledson and Ben Whiteman should all remain in the starting XI.

Cardiff City possible starting lineup:
Allsop; Romeo, Ng, Kipre, Bagan; Sawyers, Ralls, Rinomhota; Philogene-Bidace, Etete, Ojo

Preston North End possible starting lineup:
Woodman; Storey, Lindsay, Cunningham; Potts, Ledson, Whiteman, Brady; Browne; Jakobsen, Parrott

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We say: Cardiff City 0-1 Preston North End

Preston have been formidable defensively thus far and, taking on a Cardiff side left disappointed by a defeat last week, we would not be surprised to see Lowe's men grind out another clean sheet and see them having enough to scrape over the line, even given their struggles going forward.

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