Lancashire

Harrogate Town have signed Burnley left-back Oliver Pimlott on a month's loan.

The 19-year-old joined the Clarets at Under-14 level and is yet to make his senior debut.

He could feature for Harrogate, who have won their opening two National League games, in Saturday's home match against Barrow.

Image source, Shutterstock

Fylde have signed Blackpool midfielder Theo Upton on a season-long loan deal.

The 18-year-old has made five senior appearance for the Tangerines and made his debut in September 2024, aged 16.

Upton, who spent time on loan with eighth tier side Matlock last season, could make his debut for the Coasters in Saturday's trip to Woking.

Preston North End have caught up with the rest of the Championship with their new playing surface, acccording to head coach Paul Heckingbottom.

The Lilywhites had to play their Carabao Cup first round tie against Huddersfield Town at Goodison Park while their new pitch was being installed at Deepdale, but will return home to host Wolves in the Championship on Saturday (15:00 BST).

"Everything has progressed in football and we were the only team in the league not to have some sort of artificial stitch-pitch and its job is just to hold firmer when the weather turns and, instead of it ripping up and becoming bobbly it just stays flatter," Heckingbottom told BBC Radio Lancashire.

"It's not about having grass on the pitch, it's about it being flat and level and holding firm and we've not had that."

Preston opened the Championship season with a 2-1 loss at newly-promoted Bolton Wanderers last Saturday and Heckingbottom says they have used the time since then to familiarise themselves with the new pitch.

"We trained on it on Tuesday. It'll gradually firm up over the next two or three months," he said

"It's not quite where it should be but for a six or seven week old pitch we're really pleased with it."

Listen to more Preston North End interviews and content on BBC Sounds.

These sides will go into Sunday's game at The Hawthorns (12:00 BST) full of confidence.

West Brom opened the campaign with a 2-1 win at Norwich City while Burnley came from 2-0 down at home to West Ham to claim a draw at Turf Moor.

• West Bromwich Albion are winless across each of their past seven league games against Burnley (D5 L2), since a 1-0 away win on matchday two of the 2017-18 Premier League campaign.

• Burnley lost each of their first six away meetings with West Bromwich Albion this century but are unbeaten in their most recent four, drawing each of the past three (W1).

• After beating Norwich 2-1, West Brom are looking to win the opening two games of a league campaign in successive seasons. Prior to that, West Brom had completed the feat just once since 1998-99 onwards (2017-18).

• Burnley went unbeaten in each of their final 16 Championship away games en route to promotion in 2025 (W11 D5) and only three teams have had longer runs in the competition's history (since 2004-05): Leicester City (20, ending in Oct 2023), Hull City (17, ending in April 2011) and Reading (17 ending in Feb 2006).

• Since the start of 2024, West Brom have won just one of their 14 league games against sides relegated form the Premier League the season prior (D8 L5), though are unbeaten across their last six at home (W1 D5).

Burnley are targeting a move for Feyenoord defender Anel Ahmedhodzic. The 27-year-old Bosnian is also interesting former club Sheffield United and Southampton. (Anthony Joseph - Sky Sports), external

Meanwhile, the Clarets could be set to lose forward Zian Flemming. French Ligue 1 side Lille are interested in signing the 28-year-old Dutch striker who has already scored three goals this season. (Fabrice Hawkins - RMC Sport), external

Read more of Thursday's EFL gossip here.

This is a meeting between two founder members of the English Football League with Preston winning 4-0 on the second weekend of the 1888-89 season.

Since then, Preston have won 49 of their encounters while Wolves have recorded 47 victories and there have been 27 draws in all competitions.

• Each of Preston's past four home league games against Wolves have finished as draws since a 3-1 loss in September 2008. It is the same amount of stalemates as across their prior 18 home meetings with Wolves combined.

• Wolves have lost just one of their past eight league games against Preston North End (W3 D4), with this the first meeting between the pair since a 1-1 draw in February 2018.

• Preston have lost just two of their past 11 league games against sides relegated from the Premier League the season prior (W4 D5), though did lose their most recent on home soil against Southampton in May (1-3).

• Since the start of the 2021-22 season, Wolves have failed to win any of their past 11 matches played on the opening two days of a campaign, losing each of their five away games in that run while netting just one goal in total.

• On the opening day of the 2026-27 Championship season, no player completed more successful passes than Wolves defender Toti Gomes (88), while his 95.7% pass accuracy rate was the strongest of any player to produce 40+ completed passes in the competition.