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

Preston North End will be desperate to claim their first points of the season in Saturday’s derby clash against Blackburn Rovers at Deepdale.

Paul Heckingbottom’s side are currently propping up the Championship table, while Rovers are in 13th position in the standings.

Match preview

Preston are the only Championship side yet to pick up a point this season after starting the campaign with four consecutive league defeats.

The most recent of those losses took place in Tuesday’s home clash against Bristol City, which saw Caleb Wiley score his first Preston goal in a 3-1 defeat.

Heckingbottom will be concerned by the fact his team have shipped nine goals in the early stages of the season, with only Burnley letting in more across the opening four matchdays.

In fact, they have conceded at least three goals in each of their last three home matches, including four without reply in last month’s EFL Cup defeat to Everton.

Their hopes of victory in Saturday's derby clash will be tempered by their failure to win any of their last five meetings with Blackburn since recording a 2-1 away win in November 2023.

In fact, they have not beaten Blackburn at Deepdale since enjoying a run of three consecutive home wins from December 2016 to October 2019.

Blackburn made an impressive start to the season, recording two wins and one draw in their first three competitive games.

After beating Burton Albion, Rovers started the Championship campaign with an entertaining draw against Wolverhampton Wanderers and a 2-1 victory over Middlesbrough.

However, they have since experienced a drop-off with a three-game winless run, which started with a 2-1 loss to Sheffield United in the second round of the EFL Cup.

Another 2-1 defeat followed in their home league clash with Queens Park Rangers before they played out a goalless affair in Tuesday's away meeting with newly-promoted Lincoln City.

A clash against their Lancashire rivals could provide a golden opportunity for Blackburn to return to winning ways, considering they have won each of their previous three matches against Preston.

Last season's league double over PNE included a 2-1 victory at Deepdale, which came courtesy of Andri Gudjohnsen's second-half winner.

Preston North End Championship form:

Preston North End form (all competitions):

Blackburn Rovers Championship form:

Blackburn Rovers form (all competitions):

Team News

Preston are unable to call upon the midfield duo of Ali McCann and Brad Potts due to hamstring and ankle injuries respectively.

Johnny Kenny and Liam Gibbs could feature in the matchday squad after arriving on permanent and loan deals from Celtic and Norwich City respectively.

Wiley will continue to operate as the left wing-back after marking his first Preston start with a goal in the defeat to Bristol City.

Blackburn are contending with a significant injury list, which features Harry Pickering, Scott Wharton, Hayden Carter, Lewis Miller, Moussa Baradji, Augustus Kargbo and Yuki Ohashi.

Balazs Toth remains a doubt for the weekend after missing the midweek draw against Lincoln with a thigh problem.

Atcheson will serve a one-match ban following his dismissal for two bookable offences in the goalless draw at Sincil Bank.

Preston North End possible starting lineup:

Iversen; Clarke, Lindsay, Gibson; Mills, Leroy, Thompson, Wiley; Devine, Burgzorg; Erabi

Blackburn Rovers possible starting lineup:

Pears; Alebiosu, Garrett, McLoughlin, Ribeiro; Morsy, Montgomery, Morishita, Cantwell, Afolayan; Gudjohnsen

We say: Preston North End 1-2 Blackburn Rovers

Blackburn have won each of the last three head-to-head meetings, and with Preston yet to get on the board this season, we think the visitors will enjoy more success in Saturday's Lancashire derby.

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