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

Fighting for promotion back to the top flight at the first time of asking, Leicester City will travel to face Preston North End at Deepdale on Saturday in the Championship.

The Lilywhites are looking for their first win of the campaign, while the Foxes will be hoping to build on their victory from last time out.

Match preview

Paul Heckingbottom rescued Preston from the brink of relegation in 2024-25, keeping them in the second tier for one more season by a single point.

This time around, the Lilywhites will be keen to avoid another tense, long-running demotion scrap, and they have made a commendable start given that they are unbeaten in competitive matches so far.

Last Saturday, Heckingbottom's side earned a point in a 1-1 draw with Queens Park Rangers, thanks to Milutin Osmajic's equaliser following Ben Whiteman's unfortunate own goal.

Preston then went on to beat League Two club Barrow 1-0 on the road, progressing to the second round of the EFL Cup in midweek.

This weekend's clash represents the Lilywhites' first home game of the season, but while running out on one's own turf is usually a source of confidence, the hosts have failed to triumph in any of their last six matches at Deepdale, losing four and drawing two.

Meanwhile, Leicester endured a tough and turbulent Premier League season last term, leading them to hire Marti Cifuentes - their third manager in 12 months - to guide them back to the top flight after their relegation.

The former QPR boss won his first Championship game in charge of the Foxes, defeating a Sheffield Wednesday side that are stricken with off-field issues 2-1 on Sunday.

However, Cifuentes's men were eliminated from the League Cup on penalties by League One's Huddersfield Town after a 2-2 draw, and the manager will be particularly frustrated given that his team took the lead twice against the lower-division club.

Looking to get back to wining ways in the second tier this weekend, the visitors will need to defy their dire travelling record that features just one competitive victory on the road since October 2024, though they could fare better this season after dropping down a level.

Three points on Saturday would be enough to take Leicester up to the top spot from fourth, and the Foxes will feel capable of staying in and around the automatic promotion spots throughout the campaign.

Preston North End Championship form:

Preston North End form (all competitions):

Leicester City Championship form:

Leicester City form (all competitions):

Team News

Preston have a lengthy list of absentees to contend with, though midfielders Jordan Thompson and Mads Frokjaer-Jensen, as well as wide men Robbie Brady and Brad Potts, should be in contention within a month.

Elsewhere, centre-back Liam Lindsay is a doubt as he is dealing with a bout of illness, while striker Will Keane should be ready in August, though this game is too soon for him.

As for Leicester, they will be without a number of players due to injury, though left-back Victor Kristiansen and right-back Ricardo Pereira could be back in action within a few weeks.

In their absence, James Justin and Luke Thomas should start at full-back, either side of Caleb Okoli and Jannik Vestergaard.

However, winger Bobby Reid and centre-back Harry Souttar are expected to be out of commission longer, with Souttar unlikely to feature again before mid-October.

Preston North End possible starting lineup:

Iversen; Storey, Gibson, Hughes; Small, McCann, Whiteman, Pordarson, Vukcevic; Osmajic, Smith

Leicester City possible starting lineup:

Stolarczyk, Justin, Okoli, Vestergaard, Thomas; Skipp, Soumare; Issahaku, Khannouss, Mavididi; Ayew