Preston North End are pushing for a place in the top half as they host troubled Blackpool in a Championship fixture on Saturday. Preston have done some good works at home lately and should be too strong for their relegation threatened visitors.
The immediate task for Preston is to secure a place in the top half as they are currently 12th on the standings. However, sitting just seven points off the top six, they could find themselves in the mix for a playoff place if a few results go their way before the end of the season.
The Lillywhites suffered a disappointing 4-0 defeat at Middlesbrough in their Championship fixture prior to the international break. However, having won their previous two matches, they will be confident of making a swift return to winning ways on Saturday.
One thing that will give Preston some confidence ahead of Saturday’s clash is their recent home form. Ryan Lowe’s men have claimed two wins and a draw in their last three outings at Deepdale, earning a 2-0 victory over Cardiff City in the most recent fixture in that run.
While Preston North End are pushing for a place in the top half, Blackpool have a different battle on their hands. They are currently second from bottom, four points from safety and need a swift turnaround in fortunes to retain their Championship status.
The problem for Blackpool is that they have shown little fight in recent weeks with just two wins from their last 10 matches across all competitions. They have been beaten five times in the last eight matches in that run and suffered a 4-1 defeat to Coventry City in their previous Championship fixture.
Blackpool have also found things difficult away from home and are winless on their travels since October. Mick McCarthy’s men have lost their last six matches on the road, scoring just two goals in that run.
How the bookies view it
Preston have the upper hand among the bookies and are priced at 11/10 by 10bet to claim the win on Saturday. A victory for Blackpool is valued at 3/1 by bet365 while a draw is set at odds of 12/5 by Betfred.
Head to head
Preston North End have a 20-17 advantage with 11 draws from 48 previous matches against Blackpool. The Seasiders claimed a 4-2 victory in the reverse fixture back in October while Preston have won the last two meetings at Deepdale.
Players to watch
Ched Evans is the leading scorer for Preston North End this season with nine Championship goals so far. The forward has also scored in the last two Championship matches and is priced at 5/2 by bet365 to find the net on Saturday.
Jerry Yates has been the shining light in a disappointing campaign for Blackpool and is their leading scorer with 11 goals. Having netted a brace in the reverse fixture, the striker could be worth considering to score anytime on Saturday at 10/3 with bet365.
Anything else catch the eye?
It was a six-goal thriller in the reverse fixture and another open encounter can be expected on Saturday. Both teams could be backed to score at evens with William Hill, over 2.5 goals is valued at 5/4 by Unibet, who are also offering odds of 17/5 for over 3.5 goals.
Preston North End have opened the scoring in two of their last three matches and can be tipped to grab the first goal at 3/4 with BoyleSports.
This England Championship match between Preston North End and Blackpool will be played on Apr 1, 2023 and kick off at 12:30. Check below for our tipsters best Preston North End vs Blackpool prediction. You may also visit our dedicated betting previews section for the most up to date previews.
