Preston vs Hull City prediction, head-to-head and probable lineups - 20 January 2026
One of the fixtures of Championship matchday 28 will take place on Tuesday at Deepdale Stadium in Preston, where the local side Preston hosts Hull City. I'm backing a bet on attacking football and goals in this clash, with strong chances of success.
Match preview
Preston return home after a painful defeat to Derby County, having conceded the decisive goal in the 82nd minute. Still, Paul Heckingbottom’s side remains one of the toughest defensive units in the league - just 26 goals conceded, the third-best record in the Championship.
The Lilywhites’ stability is largely thanks to the superb form of goalkeeper Daniel Iversen, who has already kept eight clean sheets. However, the team often lacks attacking creativity, which was one of the reasons they couldn’t hold on to victory in the first meeting with Hull back in September (2-2).
Hull City approach this clash in high spirits - Sergey Yakirovich’s men defeated Southampton away, making a real statement in the playoff hunt. Over the last eight matches, the Tigers have lost just once and continue to pick up points consistently.
The visitors’ vulnerability remains at the back - conceding 39 goals, they have the worst defensive record among the top ten sides. But their attack continues to deliver: 42 goals scored, with 10 courtesy of loaned striker Joe Gelhardt, who will miss this game. Still, with excellent away form (21 points from 13 matches), Hull have every reason to believe they can fight for a result.
Probable lineups
- Preston: Iversen, Lindsay, Storey, Hughes, Potts, Whiteman, Thompson, Lewis, Devine, Dobbin, Osmajic
- Hull City: Pandur, Coyle, Egan, Hughes, Famaewo, Slater, Crooks, Joseph, Palmer, Millar, McBurnie
Match facts and head-to-head
- The teams drew 2-2 in the reverse fixture, despite Preston holding the advantage during the match.
- Preston have lost just two home games all season.
- Hull have scored 23 goals in 13 away games - one of the best tallies in the league.
Prediction
This promises to be a hard-fought contest - Preston are traditionally strong at the back and have home advantage, but Hull are especially dangerous on the road and never shy away from attacking. Given both teams’ form and the result of the first meeting, a high-scoring draw looks the most likely outcome.
