Preston vs Blackburn prediction: ENGLAND: Championship betting tips on match 2023-04-21 16:30.
Preston North End will be hoping back-to-back defeats don’t prove terminal in their attempts to reach the top flight for the first time in over 60 years. The Lilywhites, who were the inaugural Champions of England back in 1889, had crept onto the cusp of the play-off places prior to a damaging 4-2 defeat to Swansea on Wednesday, a match which saw manager Ryan Lowe sent off.
Lowe may still feel his side have a chance of ending their eight-year stint in the second tier though, given they remain just two points off the top six. A return to Deepdale may also spark Preston back into life as they have picked up four victories across a current six-game unbeaten run (D2) on home soil, scoring at least two goals in each win, but the fact each victory came against a side starting the round in the bottom six does serve as a mitigating factor.
Looking to stop them in what will be a hotly contested derby are visitors Blackburn Rovers, who sit two points above their Lancashire rivals in the table, but their season worryingly appears to be running out of steam. Jon Dahl Tomasson’s side looked like they could challenge for an automatic promotion place in the season's infancy, but now find themselves clinging on to sixth spot following a run of one win in seven league fixtures (D3, L3).
The most recent of those games ended in a heartbreaking 1-1 draw after Coventry goalkeeper Ben Wilson netted a last-gasp equaliser. A defiant Tomasson is urging his players to keep their heads up as they attempt to return to the Premier League for the first time since 2011 despite that latest blow, insisting “we always need to try and see a positive point of view; we’re in a great position.”
Key battle: Preston’s Freddie Woodman is looking to extend a seven-game unbeaten record in H2Hs against Blackburn (W3, D4). Released by Preston as a youngster, Blackburn’s Tyrhys Dolan had opened the scoring with three of his last four goals, but actually closed the scoring on his only prior Deepdale appearance for Rovers.
Hot stat: Blackburn are one of only three teams in the Championship yet to have an away 0-0 draw this season.