Only a handful of teams outside the Premier League remain in this year's edition of the FA Cup and two of them are about to face off in a tough clash. Preston and Burnley already played in the Championship less than a month ago and now the stakes are even higher.
It's safe to say that Preston's chances of achieving anything significant this season are limited to getting as far as possible in the FA Cup. The team is in the middle of the Championship standings, equidistant from the play-offs and the relegation zone. With just 12 rounds to go in the season, it's almost certain that they will have no trouble staying in the league.
As for getting to the playoffs, we think there are significantly better teams and their form isn't good enough to bridge the points gap to the top. It's important to note that Preston have had serious problems with their attacking play all season, scoring just 36 goals in 34 rounds in the Championship. There are few teams with fewer goals than them.
Burnley, on the other hand, are one of the three favourites for direct promotion to the Premier League, currently in third place in the Championship. The team has only conceded two losses since the start of the season. Their attack is significantly better than Preston's, but the key factor in their performance is their defensive play. Burnley have conceded just nine goals in 34 Championship rounds, which is absolutely incredible achievement in a tough league like the Championship.
How the bookies view it: Burnley with a huge advantage
Burnley were favourites in both clashes this season, although they failed to win either time. Bookmakers are again giving them the edge in the odds and you can pick Preston at 5/2, the draw at 11/5, and the win for Burnley at 6/5.
Recent head to head: Probably the most boring H2Hs in the Championship
Preston and Burnley have played two games between them this season in the Championship, both of which disappointed regular football fans. The teams failed to score a single goal against each other, with both games ending at 0-0. Overall, they have only played four times in the last decade. It's hard to say either team has the edge, though Burnley have a one-win advantage.
Players to watch: A new Flemming masterclass?
It's quite difficult to pick a player in a clash like this because both teams are likely to come out with some changes. We're not sure how many minutes Burnley's goalscorer Josh Brownhill will get as he hasn't featured in any of the FA Cup games so far. We'd rather pay attention to Zian Flemming, who scored two goals in extra time against Reading two rounds ago. But our best advice is not to spend a lot of money betting on players in this clash.
Probable line-ups
Preston: Woodman, Kesler-Hayden, Gibson, Hughes, Potts, Ledson, McCann, Brady, Keane, Greenwood, Riis
Burnley: Hladky, Sonne, Egan-Riley, Worrall, Pires, Mejbri, Brownhill, Delcroix, Benson, Barnes, Sarmiento
Anything else catch the eye?
Considering the previous Preston and Burnley games from this season, it's hard to imagine a big result in this clash. Both encounters ended goalless and all statistics point to a similar outcome.
Preston have one of the weaker attacks in the Championship and Burnley have the best defence in the league. This will of course be a cup game, which suggests different line-ups and different performances. But we can still note that both teams won their previous matches in the FA Cup with a minimum score. Burnley beat Southampton 0-1, and Preston eliminated Wycombe after 0-0 and a penalty shootout.
This FA Cup match between Preston and Burnley will be played on and kick off at 12:15. Check below for our tipsters best Preston vs Burnley prediction. You may also visit our dedicated betting previews section for the most up to date previews.
In December 2020 we sadly 
