Preview: Preston North End vs. Blackburn Rovers - prediction, team news, lineups

Blackburn Rovers make the short trip to Deepdale to face Preston North End knowing that only a win will realistically do if they want to retain hope of making the Championship playoffs.

While Rovers will attempt to start a late surge for the top six on Monday night, Preston are down in the bottom half of the standings and already thinking about next season.

Match preview

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In the space of four months, Blackburn have transformed into the surprise package in the Championship for the right reasons to a team who have shocked many for the opposite.

At one stage, Rovers were free-scoring and seemingly well on their way to guaranteeing a top-six spot, but they are now without a win in five outings and potentially left requiring victories from their last three contests.

With each of their rivals playing before them this weekend, Tony Mowbray and his players will be more aware about the task in front of them, but they need to rediscover a ruthless streak if they are to stand any chance of returning to the Premier League.

Leads were given up against Coventry City, Blackpool and Peterborough United, before Stoke City's early goal on Easter Monday condemned Rovers to a 1-0 defeat.

Although Ben Brereton Diaz recently ended his prolonged barren spell, Mowbray needs more from the Chile international for a triple-header of Preston, Bournemouth and Birmingham City.

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As far as Preston are concerned, Ryan Lowe will be solely focused on a positive end to the campaign after a solid start to life at Deepdale.

In 22 league matches since his appointment, 33 points have been recorded through eight wins and nine draws, with two of their six defeats coming against top-four clubs.

The manner of their 3-0 reverse at Fulham in midweek highlighted a gulf in class, but there is a feeling that Lowe is currently getting the maximum out of a team who could prove to be dark horses for the playoffs next season.

An extension of Cameron Archer's loan from Aston Villa would be ideal, the youngster chipping in with seven goals since January, while Preston inevitably face a fight to retain the services of leading marksman Emil Riis Jakobsen.

Starting the weekend five points short of the top 10, Preston will want to make inroads before the end of the campaign, and they follow this fixture with games against Barnsley and Middlesbrough.

Team News

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While Ched Evans is expected to miss this contest with a toe injury, Patrick Bauer, Alan Browne and Riis Jakobsen are all pushing for a return.

Sean Maguire is in line to be drafted in as a replacement for Evans, while Bambo Diaby may be handed a start in the back three after coming through 45 minutes as a substitute at Craven Cottage.

Greg Cunningham could also return at left wing-back, getting the nod over Joshua Earl.

Mowbray must decide whether he wants to make several alterations to his Blackburn side with not even a switch to a back four working during the second period of the Stoke game.

At least one of Joe Rothwell and John Buckley will return to central midfield, unless Mowbray decides to finally hand a start to Bradley Dack who have proven his fitness since a serious knee injury.

Preston North End possible starting lineup:

Iversen; Van den Berg, Diaby, Hughes; Potts, McCann, Whiteman, Cunningham; Johnson; Maguire, Archer

Blackburn Rovers possible starting lineup:

Kaminski; Wharton, Van Hecke, Lenihan; Nyambe, Travis, Rothwell, Pickering; Buckley; Gallagher, Brereton Diaz

We say: Preston North End 1-1 Blackburn Rovers

Despite the greater need for victories in recent weeks, Blackburn have still come up short, and there is little reason why anything should change on this occasion. Despite their defeat at Fulham, Preston are on the right track under Lowe, and it leads to us predicting a low-scoring draw.