Preston travel to the bet365 Stadium to face Stoke City this Saturday in a vital Championship fixture. The Lilywhites are desperate for points, having not won a league game since the opening day of the season, a run that has left them 24th in the Championship with just five points from 12 games, comprising one win, two draws, and nine losses.
Their recent form shows a single draw and four defeats from their last five outings, a run that includes a 4-0 loss at Birmingham and a 4-1 defeat at Wrexham where Alfie Devine scored their only goal. They did manage a 1-1 draw at home to West Brom last time out, with Andrew Hughes scoring a late equaliser in the 78th minute after an assist from Leo Leroy.
Stoke City, managed by Steven Schumacher, present a formidable challenge. They currently occupy ninth place and have lost just once at home this campaign. The last meeting between the sides at Deepdale in March ended in a 3-1 victory for Preston, but the current context is starkly different given Preston's position.
Preston's struggles are clear in their goal difference of minus 15, having scored only 10 goals while conceding 25 this season. They are a full 20 points behind league leaders Middlesbrough.
The match kicks off at 3pm on Saturday, 31 October. A positive result at Stoke, who are ninth in the table, would provide a massive boost ahead of the next international break.
