Preston North End are set to welcome Oxford United on Saturday to Deepdale in their 26th Championship game of the season.
The hosts are two points and three places ahead of the visitors in 15th with 29 points and lost 3-1 against West Bromwich Albion on Wednesday, while Oxford beat Millwall 1-0 on January 1 and are five points and four places above the relegation zone.
Match preview
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Preston were losing 3-0 by the half-time interval against West Brom, and while they only faced one shot on target in the second half, the game was already decided.
Manager Paul Heckingbottom said that he felt the victors hardly had to work for their goals, telling reporters: "The goals we conceded were shocking and that's what gave the game away. We gave them three goals. The three goals were terrible. They punished us and defended better than us."
In the reverse fixture, Heckingbottom's side were beaten 3-1 by Oxford on August 31 despite having taken a 1-0 lead in the opening three minutes.
The Lilywhites have been difficult to beat in the past weeks, with the club winning three, drawing five and losing just two of their last eight games.
Preston are unbeaten in their six most recent home fixtures – achieving victory twice – and have scored seven goals and conceded four times in that period.
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Meanwhile, Oxford restricted Millwall to just one big chance and 0.86 xG, winning thanks to Ruben Rodrigues's 57th-minute goal.
Boss Gary Rowett praised his side's defensive solidity in the aftermath of the win, saying: "It was really gutsy and that was the pleasing thing, particularly this season, the team haven't won away from home. Sometimes you have to show different sides to your game in the Championship."
Rowett has only been in charge for three games – winning all three – and his side have scored 27 goals and conceded 39 times in the Championship this term, records that make them the division's joint seventh-worst offensive and joint fourth-worst defensive team.
To their credit, the U's three victories in their last three matches was as many as they had achieved in their prior 18 games, with the club losing eight of those fixtures.
As Rowett alluded to, Oxford's win against Millwall was the team's first away from home this campaign, and their overall record on the road is alarming considering they have lost nine of their 12 away outings in 2024-25.
Team News
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Preston have a relatively healthy squad, though they will be without wing-back Brad Potts until the middle of February, as well as winger Robbie Brady until early next month.
Jordan Storey, Jack Whatmough and Liam Lindsay are likely to form a back three, with Josh Bowler and Kaine Kesler-Hayden candidates to flank the trio in defence.
Stefan Teitur Thordarson and Alistair McCann could feature in a double pivot behind a forward line consisting of Mads Frokjaer-Jensen, Emil Riis Jacobsen and Sam Greenwood.
As for Oxford, they will not be able to select centre-back Ben Nelson or left-back Joseph Bennett, so expect Sam Long, Elliott Moore, Ciaron Brown and Greg Leigh to appear in defence.
In midfield, Rowett may start Will Vaulks and Cameron Brannagan together given the pair played starring roles against Millwall.
Winger Max Woltman has been ruled out until late January, and this could mean that Przemyslaw Placheta, Ruben Rodrigues and Tyler Goodrham start behind striker Mark Harris.
Preston North End possible starting lineup:
Woodman; Storey, Whatmough, Lindsay; Bowler, McCann, Thordarson, Kesler-Hayden; Frokjaer-Jensen, Jacobsen, Greenwood
Oxford United possible starting lineup:
Cumming; Long, Moore, Brown, Leigh; Vaulks, Brannagan; Placheta, Rodrigues, Goodrham; Harris
We say: Preston North End 2-2 Oxford United
It is difficult to overlook Oxford's good form of late under Rowett, and they should arguably come into Saturday's clash as favourites.
However, Preston have been resilient at home despite some of their struggles this season, and they will no doubt use the home crowd to their advantage and cause Oxford problems.
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Lewis Nolan
