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

Preston North End will look to extend their four-game unbeaten run when they play host to Blackburn Rovers in Friday's Lancashire derby.

The hosts are sitting in fourth spot in the Championship table, while Rovers return from the international window in 19th spot.

Match preview

Preston are currently three points adrift of the top two after winning seven, drawing five and losing three of their 15 league matches this season.

PNE put together an impressive run of form in the lead-up to the international break, recording wins over Sheffield United, Southampton and Swansea City before playing out a 1-1 draw with Millwall.

Paul Heckingbottom's side were denied a fourth consecutive victory at The Den after Michael Smith saw his opener cancelled out by Mihailo Ivanovic.

After picking up a point on their travels before the international window, Preston will resume their Championship campaign with a derby clash at Deepdale, where they have lost just once in eight home league matches this term (D2, L1).

However, they have tended to struggle in recent home meetings with Blackburn, having failed to win any of their last six head-to-head matches at Deepdale (D4, L2).

As a result, they will enter Friday's fixture with the clear objective of beating Blackburn on home turf for the first time since running out 3-2 winners in October 2019.

After finishing just two points short of the top six, Blackburn will be disappointed to be down in 19th place with 16 points from 14 Championship outings.

Rovers did at least enjoy an upturn in fortunes before the international break, claiming three consecutive wins over Southampton, Leicester City and Bristol City before their building momentum was stopped by a narrow defeat to a Derby side managed by former Blackburn boss John Eustace.

Yuki Ohashi halved Derby's two-goal lead in the 66th minute, but his effort ultimately proved to be a mere consolation in a narrow 2-1 defeat.

That result represented Blackburn's fifth home defeat of the Championship season (D1, L1), so they may be content to return from the international break with an away encounter.

In fact, Valerien Ismael's side have collected 12 points from their seven away assignments in the Championship - a tally that has only been bettered by Coventry City and Stoke City.

Their strong away record has been on the foundation of a sturdy backline, having recorded four shutouts across their seven road trips, including clean sheets in their last two away matches.

Preston North End Championship form:

L L W W W D

Blackburn Rovers Championship form:

L L W W W L

Team News

Preston remain without Brad Potts, Robbie Brady, Lewis Gibson, Andrija Vukcevic and Ali McCann due to injury.

The hosts are also unable to call upon the services of Milutin Osmajic, who will serve the second game of a nine-game ban after being charged by the Football Association for racially abusing Hannibal Mejbri.

In regard to potential returnees, Daniel Jebbison, Will Keane and Pol Valentin are hoping to prove their fitness in time for Friday's fixture.

As for the visitors, their absentee list features Balazs Toth, Moussa Baradji, Jake Garrett and Augustus Kargbo.

Defender Scott Wharton will be out until the new year after he tore his Achilles tendon in the win over Bristol City earlier this month.

Attacking midfielder Todd Cantwell remains a fitness doubt, having sat out the six matches with a knee issue.

Preston North End possible starting lineup:

Iversen; Storey, Lindsay, Hughes; Offiah, Armstrong, Whiteman, Devine, Small; Dobbin, Smith

Blackburn Rovers possible starting lineup:

Pears; Miller, McLoughlin, Hedges; Alebiosu, Henriksson, Gardner-Hickman, De Neve; Morishita; Ohashi, Gudjohnson

We say: Preston North End 2-1 Blackburn Rovers

Blackburn may boast a strong away record, but they are set to face a Preston side that are flying high in the league and have lost just one home league game this season.

With that in mind, we think that the hosts will make full use of home advantage to edge out their Lancashire rivals in Friday's derby clash.

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