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

Blackburn Rovers play host to Preston North End on Friday night looking for the victory that would take them into the top six of the Championship standings.

However, Preston make the short trip to Ewood Park to face their North West rivals aware that a win will move them into fourth position ahead of the weekend's fixtures.

Match preview

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Even when Blackburn lost four Championship fixtures in succession not so long ago, history suggested that they would bounce back, as has always been the way under Jon Dahl Tomasson.

That is exactly how it has proven, Rovers putting together a run of four wins and one defeat from five games to catapult themselves back into promotion contention.

Succumbing at home to Swansea City came as a blow, but Rovers shook off that disappointment at the weekend as they made light work of Norwich City, beating the Canaries 3-1 at Carrow Road.

Prevailing in East Anglia was Blackburn's third away success in a row, with nine goals being scored in the process, yet they need to focus their attentions on improving on familiar territory.

Rovers have lost four of their seven league fixtures at Ewood Park this season, while their three successes have all come by one-goal margins.

However, Preston will square off against one of their fierce rivals having lost three consecutive matches on their travels, failing to win in four in total.

In their defence, two of the aforementioned three losses have been at Leicester City and Ipswich Town - the top two clubs in the division - while the other came at ninth-placed Hull City.

From Ryan Lowe's perspective, though, he will simply be relieved that his team appear to have turned a corner with five points being collected from their last four fixtures.

At Deepdale, draws with Millwall and Southampton were followed by a 3-2 triumph over Coventry City last weekend, ensuring that they regained their spot in the top six of the table.

Team News

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Blackburn will be forced into at least one change after Scott Wharton was handed a straight red card during the second half against Norwich.

Injuries to Hayden Carter and Dominic Hyam leave Tomasson struggling for central defenders, while Joe Rankin-Costello will also miss out due to a hamstring injury.

Either Harry Pickering or Lewis Travis could deputise in the middle of the backline, and Callum Brittain may revert to full-back, while Arnor Sigurdsson is in line to be deployed in the final third.

Andrew Hughes is in contention to return after a month on the sidelines and may be recalled on the left-hand side of Preston's back three.

Kian Best could continue in that role if Hughes is not risked, with the remainder of the starting XI potentially staying the same with no other injured players due back before the international break.

Blackburn Rovers possible starting lineup:

Wahlstedt; Travis, Hill, Pickering, Brittain; Tronstad, A. Wharton; Sigurdsson, Szmodics, Moran; Dolan

Preston North End possible starting lineup:

Woodman; Storey, Lindsay, Hughes; Potts, Browne, Whiteman, Millar; Holmes, Osmajic, Frokjaer-Jensen

We say: Blackburn Rovers 2-2 Preston North End

While Blackburn can claim to be one of the form teams in the division, Preston have finally rediscovered their touch in the final third. With that in mind, we are backing an entertaining draw to be played out at Ewood Park, one which either side would settle for ahead of the international break.

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