Preston North End

QPR welcome Preston to west London on Saturday with both sides seeking to make it seven games unbeaten.

The Lilywhites are a point and two places ahead of the 18th-placed Rs but the sides have identical wins, goals scored and conceded as they have hauled themselves away from the relegation zone.

• QPR won each of their two league games against Preston North End last season without conceding a goal and will be looking to win three in succession for the first time.

• Preston North End have won five of their past eight away league games against QPR (L3), scoring 2+ goals in six of those matches.

• QPR are unbeaten across their past six league games (W3 D3), keeping four clean sheets in their last five – the same amount the London side had kept across their prior 22 league outings combined.

• Preston have won just one of their past 11 league games (D8 L2), though their sole victory in that time did come during their last away match in a 2-0 success over Cardiff City.

• No player in the Championship has won more duels than QPR's Jimmy Dunne so far this season (170), while the defender also ranks third league-wide for clearances made (116).

Image source, Rex Features

Preston North End boss Paul Heckingbottom said Leeds United were within their rights to be upset that Ben Whiteman wasn't sent off in their 1-1 draw on Saturday.

The Lilywhites skipper was booked after 32 minutes for a foul on Brenden Aaronson but avoided a second yellow for a robust challenge on Jayden Bogle four minutes later.

Heckingbottom substituted Whiteman at half-time, fearing the midfielder would eventually be dismissed.

"Definitely," Heckingbottom told BBC Radio Lancashire when asked if he can understand why the Whites were unhappy with the decision.

"Straight after that, [Wilfired] Gnonto's running past him and players are clever, especially ball-carrying players that draw in the foul.

"I thought Ben did extremely well there not to make another one. The only decision was do I wait until half-time to do it? So, it was important that we made that change."

Leeds manager Daniel Farke was booked for his protests in the aftermath of Whiteman's tackle on Bogle but felt his caution was unfair.

Having taken the lead through Brad Potts in the 23rd minute, Preston conceded an equaliser in added time when Jack Whatmough prodded Dan James' cross into his own net.

"I don't want to judge the performance of the referee because actually I have a really good relationship with John [Busby] and rate him," Farke told BBC Radio Leeds.

"Obviously I was annoyed with the yellow card against myself. Whiteman was on a yellow and then there was a nasty tackle with a straight leg. It felt like at least a yellow card because it was a decisive foul and a nasty foul.

"I'm not sitting here after the game claiming for red cards but I can also see the reaction, he was substituted at half-time by Paul - an experienced manager, he knows what he has to do in such a moment.

"It would've meant we played against 10 men. I think it would've been a decisive moment of the game. I'm allowed to ask why is it not a yellow card."

Image source, Rex Features

Preston North End boss Paul Heckingbottom is relishing coming up against his former club and Championship promotion favourites Leeds United on Saturday lunchtime.

The 47-year-old managed Leeds for just 16 games in 2018 before being sacked.

"It's always a different feeling when it's one of your former clubs until the game starts but mainly it's because you get asked different questions or there are some familiar faces still there, but really at Leeds there aren't many," Heckingbottom told BBC Radio Lancashire.

Preston go into the game having ended a nine-match winless streak with a 2-0 victory at Cardiff City on Wednesday night and the manager is hoping that will lead to an upturn in form.

"We've tried to be really realistic about what we're doing and how we're playing but you can't get away from the fact you need those three points so everyone will feel better without a doubt."

Preston welcome Leeds United to Deepdale on Saturday after picking up their first win in 11 games when they beat Cardiff 2-0 on Wednesday night.

The Whites also picked up three points in midweek in their 3-1 win over Middlesbrough at Elland Road.

Victory for Paul Heckingbottom's side could put further daylight between themselves and the relegation zone, while Leeds are looking to continue their push for automatic promotion.

• Preston North End have won just two of their past 13 league games against Leeds United (D4 L7), though both victories during that time have come at Deepdale including a 2-1 success last season.

• Leeds United will be looking to avoid losing successive away league games against Preston North End for the first time since October 2006 under Dennis Wise.

• Five of Preston's past eight league games at Deepdale have ended in a draw (W2 L1), including each of their previous three matches.

• Leeds have lost two of their past three away league games (W1), as many as in their previous 16 such games (W8 D6).

• Preston manager Paul Heckingbottom has won both previous home games in the EFL against sides he's previously managed, beating Barnsley 2-1 with Leeds in April 2018 and the Tykes against with Sheffield United in March 2022 2-0.

Image source, Getty Images

It was a big three points for Preston in Cardiff on Wednesday night. Not only was it their first victory for 11 games but also the first win away from home this season in the Championship.

Manager Paul Heckingbottom said his side can play better than they did but was delighted to beat the Bluebirds 2-0.

"It's all about the result when we've been playing the way we have been and not managing to get three points," Heckingbottom told BBC Radio Lancashire, external.

"That was probably not one of our most dominant performances because I feel with the amount of performances we've put in where we've been easily the better team and only come away with a point, I thought we had to show another side to us."

The Lilywhites boss said winning away is "irrelevant" but it at least "stops people from talking about it", with their last league triumph on the road coming on March 16 at Plymouth, when Ryan Lowe was manager.

"I've just been wanting the win, that's the most important thing," he added.

Heckingbottom also praised the "brilliant" fans for making the 430-mile round trip from Lancashire to the Welsh capital.

"The support has been fantastic, they've followed us everywhere and been as frustrated as I am," Heckingbottom said.

"So for them to get that - it sounds silly, but little moments like that second goal [by Osmajic] and then he can celebrate in front of them.

"It just puts the icing on the cake, so I think it's a good day for everyone."

Image source, PRESSBOX GRAPHICS

Cardiff City's current five-match winless run is their worst since they sacked Erol Bulut in September.

The Welsh side have lost their past two at home, which followed a sequence of four successive victories at the Cardiff City Stadium.

Preston North End are one of only four Championship sides yet to win away from home this season.

• Cardiff have lost two of their past three league games against Preston, having remained unbeaten against the Lancashire side across their prior seven such meetings (W4 D3).

• Preston have won just two of their past 14 away league games against Cardiff (D6 L6), failing to score in four of their past five such matches.

• Preston have only won three of their past 24 away league games against Welsh sides (D6 L15), although one of those was at Cardiff last term (2-0).

• Cardiff have lost both of their past two midweek (Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday) league games, last losing three in a row in November 2022.

• Preston's Paul Heckingbottom has won each of his past four Championship meetings with Cardiff (all with Sheffield United) since a 1-0 defeat with Barnsley in November 2017.

Image source, Getty Images

Cardiff City face one of the Championship's most-out-of-form sides on Wednesday night (19:45 GMT kick-off) when fellow strugglers Preston North End visit.

Paul Heckingbottom's side are winless in their last 10 games, having not tasted victory since beating Coventry City on 19 October.

Even more encouragingly for Cardiff fans, Preston are yet to register a single away win in the Championship this season.

The Lilywhites have drawn their last four matches, the most recent 1-1 at Hillsborough on Saturday, when they were 14 minutes away from their first win on the road before Sheffield Wednesday equalised.

Based on form in the last five games, though, Cardiff's record is worse - the Bluebirds have picked up two points in five while Preston have earned four.

Three points over Preston would be the perfect way for Cardiff boss Omer Riza to celebrate getting the manager's job until the end of the season.

The first opportunity to do that was lost when the impact of Storm Darragh forced the postponement of Saturday's home game against Watford.

Riza's side have not won since beating Norwich 2-1 on 2 November.

Only goal difference keeps Cardiff outside the relegation zone, while Preston are two points and four places above the Bluebirds in 17th.

Image source, PressBox Graphics

Sheffield Wednesday are starting to eye a surge towards the play-off positions as they seek a third consecutive win against struggling Preston at Hillsborough.

The Owls' victories away to Hull and Derby have lifted them to 12th in the table and three more points on Saturday could leave them just two shy of a top six place.

North End have followed a rather different trajectory of late, slumping to 18th after a run of eight matches without a victory - although the past three have all been draws. Paul Heckingbottom's side are yet to win away from Deepdale this season.

● Sheffield Wednesday have won just two of their last seven league games against Preston North End (D1 L4), one of which came in the last meeting between the pair during a 1-0 success at Deepdale.

● Preston North End have won two of their last three away league games against Sheffield Wednesday (L1), as many victories as across their prior 10 visits to Hillsborough combined beforehand (D1 L7).

● Sheffield Wednesday have won each of their last two league games, and could win three in a row for the first time since August (a run of four).

● Six of Preston's last eight league games have ended in a draw (L2), including each of the last three in a row. The Lilywhites last drew more consecutively in September 2021 (5).

● Sheffield Wednesday have collected more points from losing positions than any other side in the Championship this season (10), four of which have come in their last three league games.

Image source, BBC Sport

Image source, Rex Features

Preston North End make the trip to Sheffield Wednesday in the Championship on Saturday (kick-off 12:30 GMT).

Here's a recap on the main lines from North End boss Paul Heckingbottom's pre-match news conference:

• He speaks on his role being to maximise spending after chairman Craig Hemmings hinted there may be investment in the squad during the January transfer window.

• He sees the players out of contract next summer as a way to "free-up" money and will decide who will receive new contract offers in May.

• On selling players in January: "I don't want to be losing players - I want this squad, I want to improve the squad. However, when we've got everyone fit, we've got decent number here so I don't want a huge squad where you've got people milling about and know they are not going to play."

• He says they "would rather get a lot more quality and limit the numbers" but admits January is a difficult window.

• On Kaine Kesler-Hayden: "I see a lot more mature player from the day I came in. He's growing up a lot as a person as well. He's got real good attributes. I've been really pleased with him. A lot of the time it goes underestimated what he does."

Image source, Rex Features

Preston’s financial results are so positive the club will be able to invest in the playing squad in January, chairman Craig Hemmings has hinted.

Deepdale PNE Holdings Limited, the club’s parent company, published its annual results for the financial year to 30 June on Monday.

Highlights included:

• Turnover increasing from £15.6m to a record £16.9m. The third year in a row of record turnover.

• The club's loss after tax was £9.9m, a £2.3m improvement year-on-year.

• The club has seen trading improvements across all of its income streams – season cards and matchday ticket sales, plus all commercial and replica kit sales.

• Average home attendance in 2023-24 reached a new high of 16,714 - the highest average attendance at Deepdale in 60 years.

• On Boxing Day 2023 the club enjoyed the highest league crowd at Deepdale since the mid-1970s of 21,816, for a home victory against Leeds United.

• In June the club’s owners converted £50m of outstanding debt/loans into equity, strengthening the club’s balance sheet.

Hemmings told the Lilywhites website, external: “While ultimately the performance on the pitch is paramount to the club’s ambitions, success off the pitch has a direct effect on the opportunities we will have to improve the playing squad.

“To see the club achieve its highest ever revenue is very encouraging. This improved financial performance helps to create the much-needed headroom to further invest in the club’s facilities and squad."

He added: "Historically we had a great deal of success buying and selling players prior to the Covid pandemic and it remains our goal to repeat this philosophy as and when opportunities arise."

Image source, Getty Images

It is one of the most eagerly anticipated dates in the football calendar as Premier League and Championship clubs join the FA Cup action from round three.

The draw will take place on Monday, 2 December from 19:00 GMT and can be watched live on BBC Two and BBC iPlayer.