There's a lot of stories in the Championship this weekend, big games across the schedule, and this is certainly one of them. A Lancashire derby, with Preston the home side, and Blackburn the away team. For Preston, this is about trying to prove they are back, and in the playoff race, while Blackburn know they need to improve under John Eustace, and kick clear of the relegation zone.
Preston Form GuideI think a few weeks ago I pretty much wrote Preston off, after giving them a lot of chances to turn a corner. As soon as I do that, they are back with a bang, and they come here level on points for the playoffs, only outside on goal difference. It should be said that their goal difference is way worse than the others on the same points, so it's effectively meaning they are a point less.
But they come here four unbeaten, and they've won their last three games. The first was a big 3-2 home win over promotion chasing Ipswich, that really got them started. It was followed by a 2-0 win away at Cardiff, and last weekend, a 2-1 home win over Middlesbrough.
Blackburn Form GuideBlackburn have slowly been dropping down the table under Jon Dahl Tomasson, and a managerial change has now happened. John Eustace is in, a good signing I think, and while there's no danger of relegation as things stand, his first goal will be to kick a little further clear of the drop zone and take away any possibility of that.
They are here on the back of a loss in midweek, a narrow 1-0 defeat away at Birmingham, Eustace's old team. But before that, Blackburn did win a big game at home to Stoke, beating them 2-1, another side down on the edge of the relegation zone.
Match PredictionA big game for both clubs, with plenty at stake. I'm going to go with Preston to win this one, they needed to turn a corner, looked like they wouldn't, but now appear to be back on track, and three points against a rival would certainly help that.
