English Championship: Game Week 24
Stadium: Deepdale Stadium
26th December 2023
Preston North End will welcome Leeds United at Deepdale Stadium in Game Week 24 of the English Championship. Leeds would like to build on the dominant victory over Ipswich and try to get closer to second spot. Who will come out on top after 90 minutes?
Receive Your Welcome Bonus!Preston North End form
Leeds would have considered defeat against Ipswich on Saturday to be a significant setback in their pursuit of automatic promotion, even though the season was only halfway completed. However, they responded impressively, delivering their best performance of the season and scoring four goals in the first 52 minutes to comfortably defeat Ipswich. Although the gap between Leeds and seventh place has only been reduced by seven points, their victory against a direct rival sends a strong message and provides momentum as they enter the new year. Leeds' unbeaten home record at Elland Road now stands at 12 games. However, they need to improve their away form, as they have only managed five wins from 11 games on their travels. Their recent defeats against Rotherham United and Sunderland will give Preston hope and encouragement.
Preston North End Predicted Lineup
Cornell; Storey, Lindsay, Hughes; Potts, McCann, Ledson, Millar; Frokjaer-Jensen, Browne; Osmajic
Leeds United form
Ryan Lowe and his team have been struggling lately, losing five out of their last seven matches, causing them to fall into the lower half of the league table. Despite initially taking the lead against Watford and feeling positive about their performance, they ended up losing 5-1 in that match. They also suffered a defeat against Swansea City, with the hosts scoring a late winner in a 2-1 victory. This has frustrated Lowe, but Preston is currently only four points away from the playoff spots. However, if they continue to struggle and fail to win games, their position may change, and Lowe's job at Deepdale could be in jeopardy.
Leeds United Predicted Lineup
Meslier; Gray, Rodon, Struijk, Spence; Ampadu, Kamara, James, Piroe, Summerville; Rutter
Preston North End vs Leeds United Expert Tips
Although Preston may believe they have the freedom to play a certain way on Boxing Day, it may not necessarily be advantageous for them. The consistent progress of Leeds suggests that they will likely secure a definitive victory as the dominant team from Yorkshire. Expect over 2.5 goals in the game.