There is another full midweek programme in the Championship with one of the more fascinating clashes being the fixture between Preston North End and Fulham at Deepdale. Both teams are firmly in the play-off picture but it is the home side who are probably most in need of the three points to end a frustrating sequence.
Preston North End Form and Team News
The Lilywhites have lost their last four Champions games, a run which has seen them drop out of the top six. They haven’t managed a single goal in 400 minutes of football and again likely to be without several key players for the visit of third-placed Fulham.
Defenders Patrick Bauer, Ben Davies and Darnell Fisher all missed Saturday’s defeat at QPR and midfielder Paul Gallagher and top scorer Daniel Johnson are also currently occupying the treatment table.
Manager Alex Neil isn’t yet ready to reach for the panic button but admits that his options regarding team selection are restricted at present, though Andrew Hughes made a welcome return to action at Loftus Road at the weekend and there is a chance that club captain Tom Clarke could be ready to face the Cottagers.
Following a superb start to the season, the wheels are just threatening to come off at Deepdale and the injuries have exposed that there is a lack of strength-in-depth in the squad but the fringe players will have to step up the mark over Christmas period with the opening of the transfer window still three weeks away. At present, Alan Browne is being forced to play much deeper than the normal and there is a lot of pressure on Ben Pearson in the holding role. North End need the likes of Brad Potts, Billy Bodin and Josh Harrap to step up to the plate.
Championship Betting at Betway
Fulham Form and Team News
Fulham’s controversial home defeat by Bristol City at the weekend brought to an end a four-match winning sequence. They remain in third place on goal difference from Saturday’s opponents, however, though have lost further ground on the top two.
Scott Parker was without Harry Arter, Harrison Reed, Bobby Decordova-Reid and Maxime Le Marchand at Craven Cottage but will give all of the quartet time to prove their fitness ahead of the trip to Deepdale.
The Cottagers have won their last two away games with the victory at Swansea at the end of last month particularly impressive. Alexander Mitrovic is the top scorer in the Championship this season with 15 goals already to his name, including three in his last three. But Aboubakar Kamara is also beginning to find the net with regularity and Anthony Knockaert and Tom Cairney contribute from midfield so Fulham are hardly a one-man team.
Despite their winning run, however, Parker still has defensive issues to address which are a legacy of their disastrous Premier League campaign last season. Teams are finding they can get at Fulham in the corridor between centre-back and full-back. The West London side ate not as physically imposing as some teams in the Championship and sometimes need to be a little more street-wise, though they can be hard to resist going forward when they are in full flow.
Preston North End vs Fulham Live Stats & Betting Odds
Preston North End vs Fulham Head-to-Heads
Preston North End entertain Fulham at Deepdale for the 33rd time. This is the 65th league match between the teams overall with the visitors leading the head-to-head with 29 wins to PNE’s 23. The Cottagers have won on their last three trips to this part of Lancashire with the same 2-1 scoreline. North End’s last point at home to Fulham came in 2000 and they haven’t won a home match against the Londoners in 22 years.
Preston North End vs Fulham Current Best Odds
Preston North End 21/10, Draw 13/5, Fulham 11/8 (Odds correct at 3.00pm December 9)
Preston North End vs Fulham Predictions
It’s impossible to back Preston with any confidence until their injury crisis starts to ease.
They look pretty much toothless at present so Fulham’s sometimes-suspect defence could have a relatively easy time of it at Deepdale. If that’s the case, the visitors have the forwards to hurt a team like North End who are clearly low on confidence.
Fulham simply to win are probably fairly priced at 11/8 with Betway. If Fulham win, Alexander Mitrovich is usually on the score-sheet and the Serbian international is 4/1 with Bet365 to be First Goalscorer.
