Preston North End
- Preston North End are 13th in the Championship standings after collecting 57 points from 42 games and West Bromwich are 20th with 46 points from 42 matches.
- The Lilywhites have won two, drawn two and lost one of their last five games, including a 1-1 home draw with QPR and a 2-1 away win at Charlton, while the Baggies have drawn their last three.
- Paul Heckingbottom has done a solid job since taking over at Deepdale in August 2024, keeping the Lilywhites competitive and well organised while introducing a clear identity for the club to play with.
- He sets his team up with three central defenders, two very aggressive wing-backs and a compact midfield, which allows them to press in numbers when out of possession.
- Preston have won eight, drawn seven and lost six of their 21 home games in the Championship this term, averaging 1.29 goals per home game.
- Alfie Devine leads the attack with eight goals in 41 Championship appearances this season, but Lewis Dobbin is the spark and has three assists in the last five.
West Bromwich
- James Morrison took charge of West Bromwich in February 2026 after a period of uncertainty that had seen a couple of different coaches come and go and his early signs have been good.
- He seems to have brought some structure to the side and a clear plan to try to get them playing a more possession-based, high-intensity game.
- They have improved on the road of late, with one win and one draw in their last two away games, including a 0-0 draw at Blackburn.
- Aune Selland Heggeboe, with nine, is the club's top scorer, but Josh Maja has chipped in with two in the last five.
Head-to-Head
- Preston North End have failed to beat West Bromwich in their last two attempts at home.
- West Bromwich have won four of the last five Championship matches against Preston, drawing once.
Key Players
- Alfie Devine leads the attack with eight goals in 41 Championship appearances this season.
- Lewis Dobbin is the spark and has three assists in the last five.
- Aune Selland Heggeboe, with nine, is the club's top scorer.
- Josh Maja has chipped in with two in the last five.
Betting Insights
- Backing a tie at 3.25 seems sensible given that both teams are in decent form, and West Brom have a good record against their hosts in this competition.
- The under 2.5 goals market is 1.7 with both teams to score - No at 1.9.
Prediction
Preston are unbeaten in two at home, winning one and drawing the other, and we think this could end as a tight draw with not much goalmouth action .
