Cardiff City continue their quest to achieve Championship survival when they travel to Deepdale on Tuesday to play Preston North End.
The hosts drew 1-1 with Stoke City on April 5 and the result left them in 14th place with 48 points, while Cardiff are third last in 22nd place with 41 points and occupy the league’s final relegation spot.
Match preview
Preston scored with their first shot of the game against Stoke in the 10th minute but otherwise created little in the final third, producing just one more shot on target during the rest of the match while generating no big chances.
Boss Paul Heckingbottom‘s side have in fact only found the back of the net once in their last three fixtures and were prevented from scoring in two of their prior four.
The Lilywhites did manage to beat Cardiff in their first meeting this season, winning 2-0 on December 11 and it should be noted that they have beaten the Welsh side by that exact scoreline in three of their past four clashes.
Preston have only triumphed in two of their 11 most recent outings – suffering four defeats in that time – whereas they had won four of their previous five.
Deepdale has at least proven to be somewhat of a fortress for the hosts considering they have only lost once in their last 17 home games, though they were held to stalemates on nine occasions.
Opponents Cardiff drew 0-0 with Queens Park Rangers on Saturday, failing to create any big chances and failing to produce a shot on target in the first half.
To the Welsh team’s credit, it was the first time that they had kept a clean sheet in seven matches, with the club conceding 10 goals in that period.
Manager Omer Riza will be pleased that his side are at least level on points with 21st-placed Derby County, and with four points separating his team from 17th-placed Portsmouth, he will believe that they can escape relegation in their final six games.
The Bluebirds are unbeaten in their last three outings – drawing twice – but they did lose each of their prior four.
However, Cardiff’s away form is poor considering they have lost three, drawn two and won one of their past six matches on the road.
Team News
Preston will have to contend with the absence of midfielder Alistair McCann, but Heckingbottom could select Sam Greenwood, Benjamin Whiteman and Stefan Thordarson, who started as a trio against Stoke.
Defenders Jack Whatmough and Brad Potts are not available, while goalkeeper Freddie Woodman is set to miss out for the rest of the season.
Perhaps Jordan Storey, Liam Lindsay and Lewis Gibson could be stationed in a back three ahead of shot-stopper David Cornell.
As for Cardiff, given Aaron Ramsey and Joe Ralls are both injured, Riza may field a double pivot consisting of Rubin Colwill and Sivert Mannsverk.
The visitors could start goalkeeper Ethan Horvath in light of Jak Alnwick‘s hamstring injury, and he may play behind centre-backs William Fish and Joel Bagan considering Perry Ng will not be in the squad.
Elsewhere, winger Anwar El-Ghazi has been ruled out, making Isaak Davies and Will Alves the most probable candidates to flank striker Yousef Salech.
Preston North End possible starting lineup:
Cornell; Storey, Lindsay, Gibson; Kesler-Hayden, Greenwood, Whiteman, Thordarson, Brady; Jacobsen, Osmajic
Cardiff City possible starting lineup:
Horvath; Rinomhota, Fish, Bagan, O’Dowda; Colwill, Mannsverk; Davies, Ashford, Alves; Salech
We say: Preston North End 1-1 Cardiff City
Cardiff’s match against Preston could be an invaluable opportunity to take advantage of a struggling opponent.
However, the hosts have rarely been beaten at home, so it would not be surprising if the two sides played out a tense stalemate.
For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.
