Preston conceded four big chances during their first-round draw with Huddersfield and then allowed three goals at home to Wolves, leaving clear concerns about their defensive readiness. Everton provide the next test at Deepdale on Wednesday, when David Moyes returns to the ground where his playing career began for an 8pm kick-off.
The hosts have lost both league matches, opening with a 2-1 defeat at Bolton before going down 3-1 against Wolves. That first result gave Bolton their first Championship victory since 2019, while the performance against Wolves exposed problems that remain particularly relevant ahead of facing Premier League opposition.
Fer Lopez scored twice for Wolves, opening the scoring inside eight minutes after Preston committed too many players forward and left space behind their defence. Adam Armstrong also found the net during the second half with Jordan Thompson's stoppage-time goal providing only a consolation.
Paul Heckingbottom accepted that his side had been exposed after overcommitting and also acknowledged the difference in quality and squad depth. Those issues are unlikely to disappear three days later against an Everton team able to rotate while still fielding experienced Premier League players.
Everton arrive after beating Crystal Palace 2-0, ending a run of one victory across eight league matches stretching back to last season. Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall broke the deadlock shortly before half-time before Thierno Barry doubled the lead eight minutes after the restart, heading in from Iliman Ndiaye's cross.
The final scoreline made the performance appear more comfortable than it was. Eddie Nketiah missed a clear chance inside four minutes and later struck the woodwork, while Jean-Philippe Mateta also hit the frame of the goal before Everton took control.
Those opportunities showed Moyes' side remain vulnerable defensively, even when keeping a clean sheet. A rotated cup line-up should increase that uncertainty, particularly against opponents with home advantage and little to lose.
Everton were also without a recognised right-back against Palace, forcing Merlin Rohl to fill the position. Nathan Patterson is expected to start at Deepdale, giving Moyes a more natural option on that side of the defence.
Preston's previous cup performance provides another concern. Their 1-1 draw against Huddersfield saw the visitors create four big chances compared with only one for Preston, showing the defensive problems against Wolves were not limited to one match.
How the bookies view it
Everton are 4/7 to win in 90 minutes, implying a 63.6% chance. The draw is priced at 17/5 and carries an implied probability of 22.7%, while Preston are 24/5 at 17.2%.
Both teams to score is available at 16/19, implying a 54.3% chance. Over 2.5 goals is priced at 3/4 and carries an implied probability of 57.1%.
Head to head: Toffees hold slight edge
The clubs have met only four times across the available historical record, with Everton winning twice, Preston once and the other fixture ending level.
Their latest competitive meeting came in the Carling Cup in October 2004, when Everton won 2-0. The remaining fixtures took place in the First Division during 1960 and 1961, leaving little recent evidence to apply to Wednesday's tie.
Player to watch: Hayden Hackney to show why he was so highly rated
Hayden Hackney joined Everton from Middlesbrough for at least £16m after being voted the Championship's Player of the Season for 2025/26. The 24-year-old signed a five-year contract following a campaign in which he produced five goals and seven assists across 39 league appearances.
Hackney also helped Middlesbrough reach the play-off final, where they lost 1-0 against Hull City. An England Under-21 European champion, he chose Everton despite interest from Crystal Palace and cited Moyes' record of developing Championship players into established Premier League performers.
A likely start at Deepdale gives Hackney an early opportunity to control Everton's midfield against opposition he knows well from last season.
Predicted line-ups
Preston North End (4-2-3-1): Nicholls; Valentin, Storey, Lindsay, Vukcevic; Leroy, McCann; Lang, Devine, Burgzorg; Erabi.
Everton (4-2-3-1): Travers; Patterson, O'Brien, Keane, Mykolenko; Hackney, Armstrong; Dibling, Alcaraz, Johnson; Beto.
Anything else catch the eye?
The main bet is both teams to score and over 2.5 goals at 5/4, implying a 44.4% chance. Preston have conceded six times across their opening two league matches, while Everton's clean sheet against Palace concealed several clear opportunities for the visitors.
Preston's defensive evidence is the stronger half of the argument. Huddersfield created four big chances in the previous cup round, before Wolves scored three at the same ground and punished the hosts whenever their shape became stretched.
Heckingbottom's assessment supported what the matches showed, with Preston lacking the depth and defensive control required when opponents increased the tempo. Everton should possess enough attacking quality to create chances even after making changes.
The question is whether Preston contribute. Everton allowed Palace to hit the woodwork twice and watched Nketiah miss another major opportunity from close range, showing their defensive performance was less secure than the 2-0 result suggests.
Moyes is also expected to rotate only three days after the Palace game, changing the defensive unit and reducing the familiarity between its members. Patterson's return provides greater balance at right-back, but the predicted side still contains several players short of regular competitive football.
Preston have scored in both league matches and found the net against Huddersfield in the previous round. Their defensive record makes them difficult to support in the result market, but they have shown enough attacking threat to contribute at home.
Everton deserve to be favourites, although 4/7 offers little appeal when the team is expected to change. The combination market better reflects the available evidence by backing Everton's attacking advantage without relying on another clean sheet.
Both teams to score and over 2.5 goals requires Preston to improve in attack while remaining vulnerable defensively, a pattern already seen across their opening fixtures. At 5/4, the price looks more attractive than a short Everton win in a tie where neither defence appears fully settled.
Preston North End vs Everton Betting Tips & Predictions
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