Preston North End vs Wolverhampton Wanderers - prediction, team news, lineups

By Darren Plant | 20 Aug 2026 12:03, Last updated: 21 Aug 2026 10:52

Preston North End and Wolverhampton Wanderers quadrate disconnected connected Saturday day looking for their archetypal triumph of the caller Championship season.

While Preston suffered a 2-1 decision astatine Lancashire rivals Bolton Wanderers, Wolves were held to a 2-2 gully by Blackburn Rovers.

Match preview

As 1 of the Championship rubric favourites, Wolves were expected to flooded Blackburn successful the division's archetypal crippled of 2026-27.

Instead, it took a Raul Jimenez punishment successful added-on clip to gain Cesar Peixoto's broadside a stock of the spoils, arguably emphasising the competitiveness of this season's Championship.

With 2 of his cardinal defenders sidelined for astatine slightest the adjacent month, the Portuguese volition rapidly observe whether the required extent of his squad is there.

One affirmative for Wolves is simply a fig of their World Cup representatives inactive getting up to speed, portion Jordan James has arrived from Rennes.

This is Wolves' archetypal travel to Deepdale since earning a 1-1 gully astatine the crushed nether Nuno Espirito Santo successful February 2018.

Meanwhile, Preston were near reeling past play arsenic they went down to a 2-1 nonaccomplishment astatine Bolton, past season's League One playoff winners.

Paul Heckingbottom would person been optimistic of a affirmative commencement having witnessed his broadside defy an aboriginal reddish paper to advancement past Huddersfield Town successful the EFL Cup connected penalties.

Instead, Preston were 2-0 down aft 25 minutes astatine the Toughsheet Stadium, with a precocious extremity from Jusef Wrabi proving to beryllium a consolation.

Even astatine this aboriginal signifier of the season, it feels arsenic though Heckingbottom is warring for his job. As good arsenic conscionable 3 wins from the past 17 games successful each competitions, Preston mislaid their past 4 pre-season friendlies.

Preston North End Championship form:

Preston North End signifier (all competitions):

Wolverhampton Wanderers Championship form:

Wolverhampton Wanderers signifier (all competitions):

Team News

Andrija Vukcevic and Erabi are some successful contention for appearances successful the Preston XI aft they combined for the extremity astatine Bolton.

Andrew Hughes and 1 of Callum Lang oregon Milutin Osmajic could driblet down to the substitutes' bench, depending connected whether Heckingbottom sticks with a backmost 4 oregon reverts to a 3-5-2.

Lewis Gibson remains sidelined courtesy of the reddish paper that helium received against Huddersfield.

Kieran Trippier and Yerson Mosquera person some been ruled retired for astatine slightest a period with injuries sustained during the crippled with Blackburn.

Jackson Tchatchoua and Nasser Djiga could deputise for the pair, the second depending connected whether Ladislav Krejci is acceptable and if Santiago Bueno volition play erstwhile helium is being linked with a determination elsewhere.

New signing James volition apt stay among the replacements, portion Peixoto indispensable determine whether to draught Jimenez into his starting lineup.

Goalkeeper Jose Sa volition commencement betwixt the sticks aft Daniel Bentley completed a astonishment transportation to a Premier League club.

Preston North End imaginable starting lineup:

Iversen; Valentin, Storey, Lindsay, Vukcevic; McCann, Thompson; Devine, Lang, Burgzorg; Erabi

Wolverhampton Wanderers imaginable starting lineup:

Sa; Tchatchoua, Djiga, T Gomes, H Bueno; Andre, Munetsi; R.Gomes, Lopez, Mane; Armstrong

We say: Preston North End 1-2 Wolverhampton Wanderers

With 2 of Wolves' cardinal defenders sidelined successful the agelong word done injury, Preston volition consciousness an opportunity. However, we cannot disregard Wolves' prime successful attack, starring america to foretell a hard-fought triumph for the visitors.

For information investigation of the astir apt results, scorelines and much for this lucifer delight click here.