As derbies go the Lancashire derby between Blackburn and Preston is not the most high-profile. However, this weekend’s Championship clash between the pair at Ewood Park could decide if either team’s season is a success or not.
Both teams’ have aspirations of making the play-offs this year in the Championship, as Rovers are just two points outside the top-six and North End a further three points from those potentially lucrative play-off spots.
The home sides chances of moving into the top-six have not been helped by a four-game winless run in the Championship, including back-to-back league defeats by Huddersfield and Nottingham Forest.
Despite a relatively poor run of late in the Championship, Rovers have maintained a respectable home record in the second tier, as they are eight league games unbeaten at Ewood Park. They have drawn their last two home games against Wigan and Birmingham, though. Their recent home games in the second tier have been low-scoring too, with under 2.5 goals scored in their last four matches on home soil.
Preston are just three points behind their local rivals in the table, but similarly to Rovers have been in poor form of late in the Championship. Also, like Blackburn, North End have failed to win in their last four league matches, suffering back-to-back home defeats against Reading and Middlesbrough.
Their recent matches in the second tier have been low-scoring, with their last four Championship outings producing under 2.5 goals.
Alex Neil’s team has won just one of their last eight away games in the Championship, having failed to win any of their previous five matches on their travels in the league.
However, there is one positive for North End in this clash, in that they have won five of their last six meetings with Rovers while remaining unbeaten.
With not much between these two teams, it is little surprise that Forebet predicts this game will finish in a low-scoring draw.