Preston North End host Leeds United on Tuesday evening in a vitally important clash between two sides in the Championship's top six.

Marcelo Bielsa's team got back to winning ways against Birmingham City on Saturday, while the Lilywhites slumped to a late defeat against Reading to slip to sixth in the table.

Match Preview

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Preston were undone against Reading by a late, late goal from Matt Miazga but truth be told, Alex Neil's side were pretty toothless throughout the afternoon, struggling to really test the Royals' keeper Rafael.

It was a third defeat of the season for the Lilywhites, who up until that point had been one of the league's most clinical sides, scoring an average of just over two goals a game despite most of their games being mostly even in terms of possession.

With that performance in their rearview mirror, Neil's side will be looking to put in a much improved performance and central to that will be attacking midfielder Daniel Johnson, who already has seven goals this season.

The Jamaican is an influential part of Preston's tactical flexibility, with his ability to spot a pass and run the channels key to the creation of chances for himself and others around him.

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While Preston may have drawn a lot of the attacking plaudits this season, Leeds statistically have the league's best defence, conceding just seven times in 12 games and they recorded another clean sheet at the weekend against Birmingham.

The Whites have tended to dominate the ball in a lot of their games this season, although their victory over West Brom will have shown sides like Preston that they can be pressured when you overload the channels and press them in numbers.

Bielsa's men will be chasing both a win to keep pressure on Slaven Bilic's Baggies at the top of the table and a bit more consistency having won just three of their last seven matches in England's second tier.

Kalvin Phillips's goal got them over the line against Birmingham and the 'Yorkshire Pirlo' will be essential to them keeping the game with Preston even, as his role as the pivot in their 4-1-4-1 puts him in charge of setting the tempo.

Although Preston head the overall record between these sides, the stats point in Leeds' favour as the Lancashire side have won just one of their last nine meetings in the league.

Preston recent form: WWDDWL

Leeds recent form: WDLWLW

Team News

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Preston welcomed back Darnell Fisher and Andrew Hughes for the game against Reading, although they remain without central defender and skipper Tom Clarke.

Saturday's poor performance and lack of creativity in the final third will likely prompt Neil into making some changes, with Alan Browne, Josh Harrop and Jayden Stockley, who all came off the bench in that game, the obvious candidates to be offered starting places.

Ben White and Liam Cooper's partnership has been central to Leeds' impressive defensive efforts this season and the Peacocks could be set to welcome back Cooper, their captain, into the first team after his recent injury troubles.

Beyond him the team is likely to remain largely unchanged, although Patrick Bamford could well be dropped to the bench after a poor display at Elland Road at the weekend.

Arsenal loanee Eddie Nketiah is the obvious choice to replace him but Bielsa's ongoing issues with the forward could see Tyler Roberts get the nod instead.

Preston North End possible starting lineup:
Rudd; Fisher, Bauer, Davies, Hughes; Pearson, Browne; Harrop, Johnson, Maguire; Stockley

Leeds United possible starting lineup:
Casilla; Ayling, White, Cooper, Alioski; Phillips; Costa, Klich, Dallas, Harrison; Roberts

We say: Preston North End 1-2 Leeds United

Preston are likely to come out of the gate strongly after their disappointing showing at the weekend but Leeds should have enough to see off their Lancashire rivals and keep pace with West Brom at the top of the table.

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