Preston - Lincoln City

Johnny Kenny leads the line for Preston North End as they aim to steady their Championship campaign on 12 September 2026. The forward is expected to spearhead an attack tasked with finding consistency following a challenging run that included a 2-1 victory over Blackburn Rovers but also a recent 2-1 defeat at Watford. With Alistair McCann and Andrew Hughes sidelined through injury, the home side will look to their expected XI to tighten their defensive structure at Deepdale after struggling to keep clean sheets in their recent league outings.

Lincoln City arrive at Deepdale looking to bounce back from a heavy cup defeat against AFC Bournemouth. While their recent league form has been resilient, featuring a 1-1 draw with Southampton and a goalless stalemate against Blackburn Rovers, the visitors face a tough test without the injured Tendayi Darikwa and Thomas Hamer. The visitors will rely on the attacking trio of Ben House, Freddie Draper, and Robert Street to exploit any gaps in the Preston backline. Having secured a 1-0 victory in their most recent meeting in a July 2024 friendly, Lincoln City will be eager to replicate that success in this competitive Championship clash.