The Friday night Championship fixture presents a compelling Lancashire derby as Preston North End host Blackburn Rovers at Deepdale. With kick-off scheduled for 8pm and live coverage on Sky Sports Football, this match pits a surprise promotion contender against a rival fighting to climb away from the relegation zone.
Team Form and League Standings
Preston North End have emerged as one of the division's unexpected success stories this season. Currently sitting fourth in the Championship table, a victory would temporarily propel them into second place, leapfrogging Middlesbrough. This represents a remarkable turnaround for a side many betting outlets tipped for relegation before the campaign began, with their promotion odds now slashed to 20/1.
Paul Heckingbottom's squad enters this derby clash ten points and fifteen places above their local rivals. Their form has been impressive, with just three defeats all season against Portsmouth, West Brom, and Birmingham. They approach this match unbeaten in four, having secured victories against Sheffield United, Southampton, and Swansea before a 1-1 draw at Millwall.
Blackburn's Resurgence Under Valerien Ismael
For Blackburn Rovers, the season began disappointingly with seven losses in their opening ten league matches. However, Valerien Ismael's side has shown significant improvement recently, claiming three wins from their last four outings. Their victories against Southampton, Leicester, and Bristol City demonstrated their potential, despite a subsequent 2-1 loss to Derby County.
Rovers have proven themselves to be solid performers on the road, which could prove crucial as they seek to disrupt Preston's promotion ambitions. Their position just three places above the relegation zone adds extra significance to this derby encounter.
Preston vs Blackburn Prediction and Betting Tips
The recent history between these sides at Deepdale suggests a tight contest, with the last three meetings all ending as draws. However, football betting sites strongly favour a home victory despite Preston's mixed record in recent derbies.
Our first recommended bet is Preston to win and both teams to score at 19/4 with Unibet. This selection reflects Preston's strong home form while acknowledging Blackburn's recent scoring capability. Both teams have found the net in the majority of their respective matches this season, and the intensity of a local derby often produces goals at both ends.
With leading scorer Milutin Osmajic serving a nine-match suspension, responsibility falls to other attacking options. Lewis Dobbin, on loan from Aston Villa, has impressed with four goals this campaign, including strikes in consecutive wins against Sheffield United and Southampton. Our second betting recommendation is Dobbin to score at any time at 11/4 with BoyleSports.
Team News and Injury Concerns
Preston face significant selection challenges with as many as eleven players potentially unavailable. While the international break offered recovery time for some, the suspended Osmajic joins Lewis Gibson, Andrija Vukcevic, Ali McCann, Brad Potts and Robbie Brady on the absentee list. There is more positive news regarding Pol Valentin, Daniel Jebbison and Will Keane, who are all pushing for returns.
Blackburn's squad has been dealt serious blows with defender Scott Wharton ruled out until next year with an Achilles tendon injury. Goalkeeper Balazs Toth also faces three months on the sidelines with a knee problem, both sustained in the match at Bristol City earlier this month.
This Lancashire derby promises intensity and significance at both ends of the Championship table. Preston will seek to maintain their unexpected promotion challenge, while Blackburn aim to continue their recent resurgence and climb further away from the relegation places.
