Preview: Preston North End vs Hull City - prediction, team news, lineups

Preston North End welcome Hull City to Deepdale on Tuesday in a Championship meeting between two sides with genuine playoff ambitions.

With just a single point separating sixth from fifth, this midweek contest has the feel of an early-season audition for post-season May football.

Match preview

Preston return to Deepdale licking their wounds after a late 82nd-minute strike handed Derby County all three points on Saturday in a 1-0 defeat. 

Paul Heckingbottom’s side have been notoriously difficult to beat this season, falling to just six defeats while conceding only 26 goals, the third-best defensive record in the Championship.

Much of that resilience has been built on the form of goalkeeper Daniel Iversen, who has registered eight clean sheets and boasts an impressive expected goals against figure of just 0.96 per game.

The Lilywhites will hope they can go one better than they did in the reverse fixture, where they squandered a two-goal lead to draw 2-2 with Tuesday’s opponents back in September.

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Hull arrive in buoyant mood after a statement 2-1 victory away at Southampton in their most recent league outing.

Sergej Jakirovic’s side have lost just once in their last eight matches in all competitions, though defensive fragility remains a concern with 39 goals conceded — the joint-worst record among the top-half sides.

That vulnerability has been offset by an electric attack, with Hull boasting the fourth-best scoring record in the division and loanee Joe Gelhardt contributing 10 of their 42 league goals.

The Humberside club have been particularly lively on their travels, collecting 21 away points already this season and firing in 23 goals from 13 trips, suggesting another open contest could be on the cards.

Preston North End Championship form:

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Preston North End form (all competitions):

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Hull City Championship form:

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Hull City form (all competitions):

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Team News

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Preston’s Robbie Brady remains sidelined as he continues his recovery from a long-term calf injury.

Lewis Gibson’s frustrating season has also been hampered once again, with the defender currently dealing with another muscular niggle, while Andrija Vukcevic is unavailable after sustaining a hamstring injury in December, further limiting the hosts’ defensive options.

For Hull, Ivor Pandur, John Egan and Regan Slater all returned to the starting lineup in the previous outing and are expected to retain their places.

Oli McBurnie is set to spearhead the attack once more, with Gelhardt ruled out until February, while Kasey Palmer should continue in midfield after Darko Gyabi was added to an already crowded injury list following a groin problem picked up against Blackburn.

Preston North End possible starting lineup:

Iversen; Lindsay, Storey, Hughes; Potts, Whiteman, Thompson, Lewis; Devine, Dobbin, Osmajic

Hull City possible starting lineup:

Pandur; Coyle, Egan, Hughes, Famewo; Slater, Crooks; Joseph, Palmer, Millar; McBurnie

We say: Preston North End 1-1 Hull City

With Preston’s defensive solidity set to be tested by Hull’s attacking threat on their travels, a tightly contested encounter looks likely.

With the Lilywhites’ structure and home advantage, and Hull's brilliant away form, these two sides may well cancel each other out once again. 

For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.