Both clubs enter Wednesday night’s fixture off the back of unwanted results at the weekend. Preston losing at home to Bristol City will have really disappointed them, whereas Sunderland drawing away at lowly QPR is more tolerable, but ultimately not what they aimed for. Therefore, big efforts from both can be expected, meaning they’ll each be looking to win.

There has been an average of 2.61 goals in Preston’s Championship encounters this season. Nine of their 19 clashes have contained a minimum of two goals in the match.

No doubt Sunderland have had an excellent season so far and they’ll be aiming to continue that at Deepdale. They are simply a very difficult team to back against at present. This is a club that has only dropped points in four league games so far. The Black Cats possess the strongest away record in the division and have claimed four victories away to bottom-half clubs, which is where Preston are now situated.

This will be Preston’s sixth game out of seven to be played within the space of three weeks. They’ve had a tough spell and must really be feeling it right now, which could explain Saturday’s poor showing. However, they now face a much sterner test in the shape of the league leaders.

Also, Preston have demonstrated issues facing the better teams at this level. Heading into this round of fixtures, North End have won just one of eight v current top-half opponents.

Something has to give here. Both Preston and Sunderland average less than 50% possession in league matches this season. Therefore, it could be a bit of a cat and mouse-type of affair. However, Preston are the home team here and their manager has a greater association with playing a passing game. So they should get their moments in attacking situations.

They’ll face a Sunderland team that is very well organised and so difficult to break down. They’ve shipped only nine league goals this season. Therefore, North End will look to expose the wide areas, which is where the spaces should open up. The likelihood of gaining corners therefore increases.

Preston are averaging 4.23 corners earned anyway and that figure narrowly increases focusing purely on home fixtures. Sunderland are also conceding 4.62 corners on average as well, which increases to 5.00 based on league battles away from the Stadium of Light.

Preston top the Championship charts heading into this round of fixtures in terms of yellow cards received. Paul Heckingbottom’s men are averaging 3.31 bookings per league encounter, which is far and away more than another other divisional rival.

The Deepdale club are also on a nine-game streak of reaching at least two cards in all competitions. Heckingbottom clearly has embraced something of a combative approach and there is no reason that won’t continue facing a team sitting top of the table.

Referee Lewis Smith has also been one to flash his cards quite regularly in recent times. He has even issued a red card in three of the last nine matches he has overseen. Also, only in two of the 16 contests he has refereed in 2024/25 has he not awarded at least two cards in the match.

With Jobe Bellingham starting a suspension, Alan Browne is primed to keep his place at the heart of the Sunderland midfield. This is especially significant considering Wednesday’s clash comes against his former club Preston. Prior to his summer switch to Wearside, the Republic of Ireland international had spent the past 10 years at Deepdale. Emotions will be running high as he’ll be eager to make a big impression.

Browne may only have one goal to his name for his new side but it is worth knowing he has only made three starts. With him assured of a starting berth for now, he is worth a chance to potentially score. Over those three starts, he has recorded a shot on target in two of those.

His final season with North End maybe gives a truer reflection of what he can offer considering he played much more regularly. In league action in 2023/24, Browne collected seven yellow cards, so he has form in attracting the attention of referees.

Essentially, we’re looking to avoid a half time 0-0 for this leg to be successful. The averages suggest it is much more unlikely for this to be the case on Wednesday night. The reason being is that Preston have seen nine of their 13 league encounters this season include at least one goal in the opening 45 minutes.

When it comes to Sunderland in this particularly category, it is even more convincing. That is because the Black Cats have witnessed at least one first half goal occur in ten of their 13 league assignments in the current campaign. That is 76.92% of their matches.

There is a more convincing case to expect the away side to open the scoring within this period of the match. That is because Régis Le Bris’ outfit are the highest first half scorers in the Championship.

No wins in four tells a story about Preston right now, but regards specific players it gives off a false impression. That is because certain individuals across the roster are performing to a high level and deserve recognition. One of those is certainly Sam Greenwood. The on-loan Leeds forward has recorded three goals from his previous four appearances for North End in all competitions.

He has returned with something of a point to prove having been sent off against Blackburn Rovers a few months ago. A three-match ban followed and he has resumed action with a real spring in his step. Manager Paul Heckingbottom has no choice but to keep on selecting him, such is his importance.

On the shots on target front, the 22-year-old is on a three-game run of working the opposing goalkeeper. Also, Greenwood has averaged 2.00 shots on target within that period, so now is certainly the time to back him in this market.

Kaine Kesler-Hayden initially had to be patient in breaking into the Preston team this season. However, now he has done so, he is proving very difficult to drop. His versatility in being able to play in either a full back or wing back role is probably a big reason for this.

He is currently on a seven-match run of consecutive starts for the Deepdale club in all competitions. During that stretch he has committed at least one foul in five of those fixtures. We can take this on even further when purely focusing on the encounters he has been in the starting XI this season. The on-loan Aston Villa defender has produced one or more fouls in ten of those 12 matches in all competitions.

Coming up against the top of the table team on Wednesday will again likely test him defensively, and probably to the point of making a foul or two.