Preston North End

Oxford United will look to boost their survival hopes when they welcome play-off chasing Preston North End on Saturday (12:30 GMT).

The U's are two points above the drop zone having played one game more than 22nd-placed Portsmouth and have just one win in their past eight (D4 L3).

The Lilywhites are fifth but have also stuttered slightly in recent weeks with just one win in six (D4), though only one of those has been a defeat.

• Oxford have won six of their past 10 league games against Preston (D2 L2) and won 3-1 at home against the Lilywhites in 2024-25.

• Preston North End have lost five of their past six away league games against Oxford (W1), winning the other 4-0 in February 2000 under David Moyes.

• Having beaten Ipswich 2-1 in their most recent home league game, Oxford are looking for consecutive home league wins for the first time since April.

• Preston have won three of their past seven away league games (D3 L1), as many as in their previous 30 combined. They're looking for consecutive away wins for the first time since February/March 2024 (run of three).

• Oxford boss Gary Rowett has never lost a Championship match against Preston North End (W8 D7), with his 15 games against them the most any manager has taken charge of against an opponent without defeat since the 2004-05 rebrand.

Preston North End assistant Stuart McCall has not ruled out a switch to a back four for the weekend trip to Oxford with Liam Lindsay suspended and fellow centre back Liam Gibson still out injured.

Preston boss Paul Heckingbottom has favoured a three-man defence all season but for Saturday's game at the Kassam Stadium (12:30 GMT) may have to switch his system, due to a lack of resources.

Lindsay was sent off in Tuesday's 1-1 draw against Coventry while Gibson has been out since the end of October.

"We've got Jamal [Lewis], Robbie [Brady] and Lewis Gibson all left-siders who are added to Lindsay being out," McCall told BBC Lancashire.

"We've got options. We can go to a back four no problem at all or we can stick with the back five.

"Flexibility is important. Andrew Hughes can always be bumped up one to left wing back. Odel Offiah can drop into the back three. Thierry Small can play either side.

"When you've got that it does give you more adaptability and we can look at different things in game as well as prior to the game."

With Preston fifth in the Championship and unbeaten in the past five league games, McCall said the togetherness in the changing room is good.

"It's always easy to talk about that when things are going well. You find out when you lose a couple of game, that's when your team spirit comes," he added.

"So it's all well and good and the moment and the lads are in a really good place.

"But we're got to keep our heads on because there's always little bumps bruises along the way.

"It's how you react to your setbacks is the key, that's when you find out what sort of group you've got and we have done that this season."

Adam Cottier
BBC Radio 5Live reporter

Image source, Shutterstock

Twenty games into the season and Preston North End have lost only four times in the Championship. A sturdy summer recruitment drive - a strategic reset after a narrow escape from the drop last season - set them up for this season, so far, of hope and prosperity.

They have become ultra-resilient under Paul Heckingbottom and their gutsy effort to garner a draw under severe pressure from Coventry underlined such a notion.

It also highlighted how worthy they are of the lofty position they find themselves in.

The Championship leaders and top scorers tested North End's resolve on countless occasions only to be denied by blocks, tackles and one incredible save from Daniel Iversen, the North End goalkeeper brought back to the club in the summer. A trusted barrier who regularly excels.

Heckingbottom and his coaching staff took a measured approach to playing with 10 men from the 39th minute onwards. Switching things around astutely, using a strong bench to help not only restrict Coventry, but retain an attacking threat. Streetwise management, and not for the first time in this campaign.

Daniel Jebbison is another recruit with passion and endeavour. He made the most of his chance to equalise in some style.

North End deserved something from this latest test of their promotion credentials.

The fight to end the long wait for top-flight football at Deepdale heads on into the deep winter. This North End group might just have the stamina required to do something amazing.

Preston manager Paul Heckingbottom told BBC Radio Lancashire: "We've had two top performances, in different ways, and we only get two points.

"It's always about winning but I couldn't be any prouder of the players today, they were magnificent. They showed what we're all about.

"When we had the ball they recovered well and we found it hard to break them down, but I always felt when we were trying to press they were getting their players in behind us, [Jack] Rudoni and Haji Wright, that was their threat.

"It didn't lead to a goal but it led to a sending-off. Both teams were playing the conditions - it was windy, gusty, bobbly, scrappy and the sending-off changed the dynamic of the game totally and the pattern was set.

"We went 5-3-1 to keep that coverage across the pitch so it was a tough shift for Jebbo [Daniel Jebbison].

"We defended really really well and Dan [Iversen] had his moment with the save, their [deflected] goal was the only way he was going to get beaten."

Image source, Getty Images

The FA Cup third round draw was made on Monday evening, with all 24 Championship clubs entering at this stage of the competition.

Ties will take place between Thursday, 8 January and Monday, 12 January.

These are the ties involving Championship clubs:

• Cambridge United v Birmingham City

• Hull City v Blackburn Rovers

• Bristol City v Watford

• Charlton Athletic v Chelsea

• Stoke City v Coventry

• Derby County v Leeds United

• Ipswich Town v Blackpool

• Cheltenham Town v Leicester City

• Fulham v Middlesbrough

• Burnley v Millwall

• Norwich City v Walsall

• MK Dons v Oxford United

• Portsmouth v Arsenal

• Preston North End v Wigan Athletic

• West Ham United v Queens Park Rangers

• Sheffield United v Mansfield Town

• Sheffield Wednesday v Brentford

• Doncaster Rovers v Southampton

• Swansea City v West Bromwich Albion

• Wrexham v Nottingham Forest

You can see the full draw here.

Image source, Opta

Coventry will seek to get back to winning ways as they head to bogey-ground Deepdale to take on Preston on Tuesday (19:45 GMT).

The Sky Blues lost for just the second time in 19 Championship games on Saturday, going down 3-0 at Ipswich, who moved ahead of fifth-placed North End on goal difference after the Lilywhites had to settle for a 1-1 draw at home to Wrexham.

While City have a seven-point lead at the top, despite losing two of their past four away games, North End have suffered only one defeat in their past eight games but could finish the night anywhere from third to eighth depending on the results at Deepdale and elsewhere.

• Preston lost their last league match against Coventry in February, ending a 22-game unbeaten run against them. They've never lost consecutive league games against the Sky Blues before.

• Coventry have never won in 23 away league games against Preston (D8 L15), both the most they've faced a side on the road without ever winning and the most Preston have faced a side at home without defeat.

• Preston have won just one of their past nine midweek (Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday) Championship games (D6 L2), beating Swansea City 2-1 last month.

• Coventry have won all four of their midweek (Tues, Weds, Thurs) Championship games this season, scoring 13 goals and conceding just four.

• Paul Heckingbottom has won all three of his home league games against Coventry, with each victory coming in charge of a different club (Barnsley in March 2016, Sheffield United in December 2022 and Preston last season).

Preston boss Paul Heckingbottom spoke to BBC Radio Lancashire after his side's 1-1 draw with Wrexham.

"You'll do well to create that much in a Championship game between now and the end of the season," he said.

"Their goal was a soft one. If you make three mistakes in a row you'll concede goals, it was unlike us.

"The response was brilliant and the performance was brilliant.

"I expect us to make mistakes because I want us to be brave and try and win the game. I enjoyed it."

This is a first league meeting (15:00 GMT) between Preston North End and Wrexham for a quarter of a century.

Preston are looking to avoid back-to-back home league defeats for the first time since April while Wrexham head to Deepdale on the Championship's current longest unbeaten run of eight games.

• Preston are unbeaten in their past five league games against Wrexham (W3 D2), with this their first meeting since a 1-0 home win in March 2000.

• In a run stretching back to 1982, Wrexham have lost six of their past seven away league games against Preston, winning the other 1-0 in October 1997.

• Preston have lost two of their past four home league games (W2), as many as they had in their previous 21 at Deepdale (W7 D12).

• Wrexham are unbeaten in their past eight league games, alternating between a victory (4) and a draw (4) each time. They drew 1-1 against Blackburn Rovers last time out.

• No side in England's top four tiers has drawn more league games than Wrexham this season, with their eight stalemates the most of any side in the Championship.

Preston North End will look to rotate their squad during a busy period of fixtures, but only if they can get some players back from injury, says boss Paul Heckingbottom.

The Lilywhites have eight Championship games in the next four weeks as they look to maintain their promotion challenge which has them currently in fifth place in the table.

Preston are missing Jamal Lewis (hamstring), Lewis Gibson (thigh), Ali McCann (broken arm), Brad Potts (hamstring) and Robbie Brady (calf) with Heckingbottom keen to have them back as soon as possible.

"If we can get the players back we'll need to rotate the squad, 100%, and we will do," he told BBC Radio Lancashire.

"The more we get back I think we should (rotate) as we've got a strong squad."

Defender Lewis is the latest to join the injury list with Heckingbottom revealing the Northern Ireland international will be out for at least two weeks with his short-term deal due to expire on 30 December.

"I wish one or two were further on in their recoveries than they are but we still need the bodies not only for performance but because we're coming into a busy period between now and 2026," added the Preston manager.

Preston host Wrexham in the Championship on Saturday (15:00 GMT).

Image source, Getty Images

It is not impossible to believe Preston could win promotion to the Premier League for the first time, says former North End striker Brett Ormerod.

The Lilywhites are fifth in the Championship after Saturday's 3-2 win at Sheffield Wednesday, having lost just one of their past seven games.

"When we got promoted with Ian Holloway (at Blackpool), [it shows] anything is possible," Ormerod told BBC Radio Lancashire.

"It gets tougher every year because of the teams coming down and the money involved.

"You look at the Championship and there aren't many who haven't been in the Premier League before - Preston haven't so they are up against it."

Preston lost in both the 2001 and 2005 play-off finals but Ormerod believes with some strengthening in the transfer window they could sustain another promotion challenge.

"They have to cut their cloth accordingly but there's a bit of optimism there and can they get to January in this same position and maybe get a couple of signings for that run-in?" he added.

"If he (boss Paul Heckingbottom) can stay in that top six over the Christmas period it gives him a stronger hand to go to the board and say 'how ambitious are we?' Because Preston have always been a nearly team."

Preston are next in action at home to Wrexham on Saturday, 6 December (15:00 GMT).

Image source, Getty Images

Preston North End boss Paul Heckingbottom has been charged by the FA with misconduct following their Championship fixture against Watford in November.

The Lilywhites were held to a draw at Vicarage Road after Mamadou Doumbia cancelled out Daniel Jebbison's opener.

It is alleged, external Heckingbottom "acted in an improper manner and/or used abusive and/or insulting words towards a match official" during the pre-match briefing.

Heckingbottom has until Wednesday to provide a response.

Preston North End defender Odel Offiah says he is growing into his new role at right wing-back.

After coming off the bench in eight of North End's first 10 Championship games, the 23-year-old, a centre-back for most of his career, has started the past seven playing at right wing-back.

Fittingly, his uncle Martin was once a star rugby league winger for England and Great Britain.

"It feels good to be playing week-in, week-out, it feels good to be contributing to the team, winning, picking up points and climbing up the table," Offiah told BBC Radio Lancashire.

"It's been a bit of an adjustment period physically, and also tactically, playing wing-back but the more I play the more comfortable I get and the more I learn."

Offiah, who joined from Brighton and Hove Albion in the summer, having played 40 games on loan at League One Blackpool last season, has been working on the attacking aspects of his new role in training.

"Defending I am used to but attacking like a winger is the biggest transition, getting crosses in," he added.

"I am putting extra time in on the grass and pushing myself to see how well I can do.

"The Championship is more physical than League One but I am enjoying it, I relish the challenge, i want to play a the highest level possible.

"I want to get better and there's still room for improvement."

Preston will seek to end a three-match winless streak as they head to rock-bottom Sheffield Wednesday on Saturday (15:00 GMT).

"Regardless of where they are in the table, you have got to play, be hungry and fight for the points, that'll be the same on Saturday," Offiah said.

"We have to be at our best and come out of the traps firing if we want to get a result."

Image source, Opta

Sheffield Wednesday's quest to return to a positive points tally continues as they welcome Preston to Hillsborough on Saturday (15:00 GMT).

The Owls remain bottom on -4 points after their late 1-0 defeat at Millwall on Wednesday, a third straight loss which extended their winless run to 11 Championship games, during which Henrik Pedersen's men have claimed just four points.

North End go into the weekend sat sixth, in the final play-off spot, but winless in three after being pegged back in a 1-1 draw at Watford on Tuesday night.

• Sheffield Wednesday have won just two of their past nine league games against Preston North End (D2 L5), with both wins coming by a 1-0 scoreline (January 2021, December 2023).

• Having lost five consecutive away league games against Sheffield Wednesday between March 2012 and December 2018, Preston North End have since lost on just one of their past four visits to Hillsborough (W2 D1).

• Sheffield Wednesday haven't won any of their previous 10 league games at Hillsborough (D3 L7), their longest run since October 2020; only in August 1975 (13), August 1968 (11) and March 1955 (11) have they suffered longer such streaks in the Football League.

• Preston are unbeaten in their past three away league games (W1 D2); they last enjoyed a longer run in March 2024 (4).

• Preston's Daniel Jebbison has five goal involvements across his past six league games (3 goals, 2 assists).

Preston North End will be boosted by the return of suspended captain Ben Whiteman and "more than likely" Harrison Armstrong from injury for the trip to Sheffield Wednesday on Saturday (15:00 GMT).

Whiteman sat out Tuesday's draw at Watford after collecting five yellow cards so far this season, while Armstrong has been missing for the past two matches with a slight groin issue.

North End head coach Paul Heckingbottom told BBC Radio Lancashire: "Ben's been really consistent. He's played a lot of forward passes, which I've been banging on about for a long, long time.

"Without the ball, I think it's really evident that he's had a good pre-season because he's been getting about the pitch and defending the box, so he's been playing well. We want him to keep to those standards."

Heckingbottom is also delighted to have 18-year-old on-loan Everton midfielder Armstrong back in the fold.

"We know what he brings - a hell of a lot of energy and good quality on the ball," the Preston boss added.

"And we still think we can improve him between now and the end of the season as well - and he's determined to improve.

"They are two good additions because we were too short on the bench as well, so it's ideal for us."

Andy Bayes
BBC Radio Lancashire sport editor

Preston's result at Watford was a case of putting the point in the bag and heading back north relatively satisfied.

Everyone who was at the match will probably watch a better spectacle this season, but it is the sort of result that if you are serious about a play-off push, a point at Vicarage Road is certainly not the end of the world.

It is probably a point gained rather than two dropped.

North End's starting XI showed three changes. Jordan Thompson made his full debut, while Jamal Lewis and Daniel Jebbison returned to the team. Both Lewis and Jebbison are former Hornets loanees; it always makes sense to sling them in to see if it gets the desired effect.

Jebbison has already inflicted defeat on another of his former clubs, Sheffield United, this season with a winning goal and it could have been the same again. He produced the coolest of finishes after being played through by Lewis Dobbin to open the scoring. It was the perfect response to the boo boys in the home stands for the Canada international.

Following the opener, North End were the better side for a 15-minute spell and it looked like they might double the advantage on a couple of occasions.

Alfie Devine was a threat in the first half, popping up in some great positions. He fired over and Stefan Thordarson was not far away from his first of the season.

But, with a few minutes to go to the interval, they got loose in possession. The ball was turned over far too often and an equaliser on the stroke of half-time had been coming. A scruffy goal was conceded in stoppage time, a similar time to conceding to Blackburn Rovers on Friday.

Into the second half and skipper for the night Liam Lindsay brought the best from Hornets keeper Nathan Baxter as he tipped a header onto the post, but the majority of the questions were coming from the home side.

It is important to remember that Paul Heckingbottom's side had eight subs for the game, with two of them being goalkeepers.

Injuries to seven first-team players, as well as the club captain serving a one-match ban and the leading scorer being banned until after Christmas, would be a testing situation for pretty much all clubs at second-tier level.

Huge credit to the travelling fans for braving the 400-mile round trip on a Tuesday evening to cheer on their team. It was not a classic, but it was a really decent point against a team who had won four out of their previous five at home.

Preston North End boss Paul Heckingbottom has critiqued his side for not scoring more goals prior to Watford's equaliser in their 1-1 draw on Tuesday.

Both sides had an abundance of scoring opportunities throughout the match but only Preston's Daniel Jebbison and Watford's Mamadou Doumbia were able to find the net.

"That was a good away performance. This is a dangerous place to come with the talent they have and they are a lot more dangerous at home than away so we are really pleased with the performance," Heckingbottom told BBC Radio Lancashire.

"In spells we were very good with the ball. But we managed to defend our box well and always managed to carry a threat going the other way.

"We felt we could come and have the ball. They had the best chance on the counter. But then we became more of a threat in hurting them. Probably the disappointing thing was we were only 1-0 up when they got the equaliser.

"We could easily have nicked that. We could have been a couple of goals up when they got that equaliser."

Such is the volatile nature of the Championship 11th-placed Watford would overtake Preston, who are fifth, with a win on Tuesday night.

That may have seemed an unlikely scenario when Watford were 2-0 down at Derby on Saturday before scoring twice in the final five minutes to complete a 3-2 comeback win.

Preston are looking to avoid going three league games without a win for the first time this season.

• Watford lost this exact fixture 2-1 last season, last losing consecutive home league games against Preston in August 2005.

• Preston did the league double over Watford last season, having won just two of their previous 13 against the Hornets beforehand (D6 L5).

• Having lost their first four home league games in 2025, Watford have since lost three of their last 15 at Vicarage Road (W8 D4), winning four of their last five (D1).

• When they've not kept a clean sheet, Preston have won just one of their last 31 away league games (D9 L21), though that was a 2-1 victory at Watford in January last season.

• Watford's Imran Louza has been involved in seven goals in his last seven home league games (3 goals, 4 assists), as many as he had in his previous 34 appearances at Vicarage Road.

Preston North End boss Paul Heckingbottom has praised his side for getting "everything so right" to help them up to fifth on the table.

The Lilywhites did 2-1 lose to Blackburn Rovers on Friday for their fourth defeat of the season, however the 48-year-old has noticed a pattern across their losses.

"We've only lost four games but three of those have been from set plays," Heckingbottom told BBC Radio Lancashire. "That's how important they are.

"The reason I'm really pleased with this group of players is that we have to get everything so right and that's what we've been doing."

Fourteen clubs have the potential to enter the weekend in the top six and while Heckingbottom believes the gap will begin to widen as the season progresses, he's not in a position to rule anyone out of the Championship promotion race.

Preston travel to Watford on Tuesday (19:45 GMT) with the Hornets 11th but just two points outside the top six.

"The amount of teams that will fancy their chances will be more than ever this season," Heckingbottom added.

"So many people thought X, Y, Z was going to happen and it just shows a big naivety, one about football, and about this league in particular.

"It's a good league for that reason and I think it's more competitive than ever."