Can Preston stop the slide in the Lancashire derby? Preston vs Blackburn prediction — 05.09.2026
The fifth-round Championship clash between Preston North End and Blackburn Rovers will take place at Deepdale on Saturday, September 5, with kick-off at 12:30 local time. The Lancashire derby comes at a particularly important moment for the hosts, who are still looking for their first point of the new league season, while Tony Mowbray's visitors have made a much more stable start.
- Also read: The Sardinians should confirm their superiority at home again: Cagliari vs Verona prediction
Preston: four matches, four defeats and growing pressure
Paul Heckingbottom's side could hardly have imagined a more difficult start to the Championship campaign. Preston have lost all four league matches, scoring only three goals and conceding nine. Defeats against Bolton (1-2), Wolverhampton (1-3), Charlton (0-1) and Bristol City (1-3) have left the Lilywhites bottom of the table with zero points.
The latest defeat was particularly frustrating. Preston recovered from Scott Twine's early goal against Bristol City through Caleb Wiley shortly after half-time, but conceded twice in the final stages and lost 1-3 at Deepdale. The recurring problem is obvious: Preston are capable of producing competitive periods, but mistakes in their own third and a lack of efficiency in attack continue to punish them.
There is at least some hope that the attacking situation can improve. Preston completed deadline-day deals for striker Johnny Kenny and midfielder Liam Gibbs, and both additions strengthen Heckingbottom's options ahead of the derby. Kenny in particular gives the hosts another player capable of attacking space behind the defensive line. However, midfielder Alistair McCann is unavailable because of a hamstring injury.
Blackburn: better results, but Mowbray has a major defensive problem
Blackburn have collected five points from their first four Championship matches. They opened with an encouraging 2-2 draw away to Wolverhampton, beat Middlesbrough 2-1, lost 1-2 against QPR and then earned a goalless draw at Lincoln City. Their league record therefore stands at one victory, two draws and one defeat, with five goals scored and five conceded.
The result at Lincoln was respectable, especially after Tom Atcheson was dismissed for a second yellow card. However, that red card has created a serious problem ahead of the trip to Deepdale. Atcheson is suspended, while Tony Mowbray has confirmed that centre-backs Hayden Carter and Scott Wharton will not be rushed back from injury. Sean McLoughlin is therefore the only fully available senior natural centre-back, and Sam Morsy had to finish the Lincoln match in defence.
There are further absences elsewhere in the squad, with Mathias Jørgensen and Yuki Ohashi sidelined by hamstring problems and Lewis Miller recovering from an Achilles injury. New right-back Gady Beyuku, signed from Modena after the transfer deadline, could make his Blackburn debut at Deepdale and gives Mowbray another option on the right.
Match facts and head-to-heads
- Preston have lost all four Championship matches this season, with a 3-9 goal difference.
- Blackburn have taken five points from four league games and are unbeaten in both away matches.
- Preston have failed to keep a clean sheet in their last 22 matches across the sequence tracked by FotMob.
- Blackburn are unbeaten in the last five meetings with Preston, winning three and drawing two.
- Blackburn won both Championship meetings last season: 2-1 at Deepdale and 1-0 at Ewood Park.
Blackburn's defensive absences give Preston a chance: Preston vs Blackburn prediction
The basic form points towards Blackburn. Mowbray's team have already taken points away at Wolves and Lincoln, while Preston have started the campaign with four consecutive league defeats and continue to concede far too easily. Blackburn also have an excellent recent record in this derby and have not lost any of the last five meetings.
However, backing the visitors outright looks considerably less attractive because of their centre-back crisis. Atcheson's suspension combined with the continued absence of Carter and Wharton could force Mowbray into another improvised defensive structure. That is significant against a Preston side desperate for a response at home and now strengthened by the arrival of Johnny Kenny.
Preston have scored in three of their four league matches despite their poor results, while Blackburn found the net against both Wolves and Middlesbrough and have enough quality through Todd Cantwell, Andri Gudjohnsen and Ryoya Morishita to trouble a defence that has conceded in every league game this season. With both back lines carrying clear vulnerabilities, the derby looks capable of producing chances at both ends.
Prediction: Both teams to score — Yes.
