Preston North End v Southampton
Championship | Deepdale
Wednesday, 25 October 2023 @ 7.45pm
Preston North End face Southampton at Deepdale on late Wednesday looking to secure a first win in six Championship games.
The Lilywhites have lost three and drawn two matches since they last earned three points – against Birmingham City on September 19.
They face a Southampton side who have won three and drawn one over that time.
With 19 goals in 12 games so far this season, Southampton are scoring more than average in the league with 1.6 goals per game. But they are conceding more than average too, letting in 22 goals at a rate of 1.8 per game.
Preston, meanwhile, are below average scorers, with 1.3 goals per game, compared to a league average of 1.4. They have conceded 1.5 goals per game.
In Adam Armstrong, the Saints have one of the league's most on-form strikers so far this season. He has notched seven goals in 12 appearances, to sit second in the scoring charts.
His goal rate of one every 146 minutes is quicker than that of Will Keane, North End's top scorer with a goal every 165 minutes, and a total of four goals in nine games.
The Lilywhites are fourth in the table after 12 games, of which they have won six and drawn three, earning 21 points.
The visitors are one place behind the home team in fifth, with six wins and two draws putting them on 20 points.
Preston's last match was on Saturday, a 1-1 draw against Millwall, with Mads Frøkjær-Jensen getting the goal for the Lilywhites.
Southampton beat Hull City 2-1 last time out, also on Saturday, with Ryan Fraser and William Smallbone on the scoresheet.
Wednesday's match will be refereed by Jeremy Simpson, who has taken charge of six Championship games so far this season, issuing one red card and booking 17 players. He has awarded one penalty.
The last Preston game Simpson refereed was a 1-0 away win against Sheffield Wednesday on August 19. He is yet to oversee a match featuring Southampton this season.