Stoke will seek to jump into the automatic promotion places, for a few hours at least, as they welcome Championship basement-boys Preston on Saturday (12:30 GMT).

The ninth-placed Potters had taken 12 points from five games before being held to a goalless draw at home to Bristol City on Saturday, but City have struggled against North End in recent years.

The Lilywhites are winless in seven but did pick up their first point in four games under Graham Alexander with a 1-1 home draw against West Brom last time out, they have however taken just one point from six games on the road this season.

• Stoke City have won just one of their past seven league games against Preston North End (D3 L3), failing to score in four of those matches.

• Preston North End are unbeaten across their past eight away league games against Stoke City (W5 D3), conceding just one goal in total across those matches.

• Stoke have won six of their past nine league games (D2 L1), as many victories as across their prior 32 Championship matches combined.

• Preston have lost five of their past six away league games (D1), while only Watford (8) have picked up fewer than their 13 away points in the Championship in 2026 among ever present sides.

• Preston have lost just one of their past 11 league games played on Halloween (W3 D7), though did lose their most recent 2-1 against Birmingham in 2020.