Preston North End vs Sunderland Prediction: Preston has kicked off the 2023-24 season with back-to-back draws in Championship and EFL Cup

Preston North End will welcome Sunderland at Deepdale Stadium in Gameweek 2 of the English Championship. Preston has kicked off the 2023-24 season with back-to-back draws in Championship and EFL Cup. Who will come out on top after 90 minutes?

Preston North End form

Preston has kicked off the 2023-24 season with back-to-back draws in both the Championship and a recent EFL Cup encounter against League Two side Salford City at Deepdale.

Ryan Lowe made several changes to the lineup following the draw at Ashton Gate last weekend. Salford's Connor McLennan netted a brace, leading the match to a penalty shootout, which ultimately ended in a 4-2 defeat for the home team.

With no further participation in the EFL Cup's second round, Preston's focus now shifts solely to second-tier football until January. Fans are hopeful that players like Mads Frokjaer-Jensen will have acclimated by then.

Preston also ventured into the transfer market by securing signings from recently-relegated Wigan Athletic. Striker Will Keane and centre-back Jack Whatmough have both joined the Lilywhites for the 2023-24 season. In the previous Championship season, Preston secured a 12th-placed finish. However, their performance was marred by disappointing home results, as Lowe's team managed to win only seven out of their 23 matches at their Lancashire home.

Preston North End Predicted Lineup

Woodman; Storey, Lindsay, Hughes; Potts, Browne, McCann, Holmes, Best, Frokjaer-Jensen; Keane

Sunderland form

Sunderland commenced their Championship season with a defeat against Ipswich, last season's League One runners-up, at the Stadium of Light on Sunday afternoon. Goals from Nathan Broadhead and George Hirst led Ipswich to a maximum point result.

Merely 48 hours later, the Black Cats were once again in action on their North East turf, facing a loss and elimination from the EFL Cup as they were beaten by fourth-tier Crewe Alexandra in a penalty shootout following a 1-1 draw during regular time.

Similar to the 2022-23 season under Tony Mowbray's guidance, youth development remains a focal point at the Stadium of Light. The team made a significant acquisition by signing 17-year-old Jobe Bellingham from Birmingham City for a reported £3 million. Bellingham, an England youth international, was swiftly incorporated into the starting lineup alongside 19-year-old Luis Semedo for the match against Kieran McKenna's side. Despite their inclusion, the new young duo couldn't spark a positive result for the Black Cats.

Sunderland cemented their spot in the top six with a trip to Deepdale on the final day of the previous season, securing a 3-0 victory against Preston North End with goals from Jack Clarke, Alex Pritchard, and Manchester United loanee Amad Diallo on May 8.

Sunderland Predicted Lineup

Patterson; Gooch, Ballard, O'Nien, Cirkin; Neil, Ekwah, Roberts, Pritchard, Clarke; Semedo

Preston North End vs Sunderland Expert Tips

Preston aims to rebound from their EFL Cup elimination this week and will have an opportunity to do so against Sunderland on Saturday. Sunderland suffered surprising defeats against Ipswich and Crewe at the Stadium of Light in the past week. Given this recent form, we anticipate a third consecutive loss for Mowbray's team. Expect a home side victory with under 2.5 goals.