- Preston are 15th in the table, eight points off the play-off spots
- Norwich are eighth in the Championship table
- Recommended bet: Preston or draw double chance

Norwich missed the chance to break into the top six when drawing 1-1 at home to Derby at the weekend, but they will get another opportunity when taking on mid-table Preston at Carrow Road.

Despite conceding an injury-time leveller against the Rams, who went into the game on a run of seven successive Championship defeats, Norwich find themselves only two points adrift of sixth-placed Blackburn.

An extended season remains the aim for Norwich, but they face a potentially tricky challenge against Preston, who head to Norfolk with a place in the FA Cup fifth round safely secured.

Preston won a penalty shootout in Saturday’s fourth-round tie at home to Wycombe, having been held to a 0-0 draw by the League One highflyers.

They are 15th in the Championship but are only eight points adrift of the play-off slots.

Team news

Borja Sainz is available after a six-game suspension and should go straight back into the starting line-up. However, the hosts are expected to be without injured contingent Liam Gibbs, Gabriel Forsyth, Forson Amankwah, Onel Hernandez and Anthony Springett, who were missing for Saturday’s 1-1 draw at home to Derby.

Lewis Gibson and Jack Whatmough (both calf) were withdrawn at the weekend and Emil Riis (groin) and Will Keane (unspecified injury) are doubts. Robbie Brady, Ben Whiteman and Jordan Storey have been injured, but on loan, Watford defender Ryan Porteous is ready to feature after he was cup-tied on Saturday.

The stats

Norwich have kept just one clean sheet in 17 home matches this season, while both teams have scored in each of Norwich’s last eight home league fixtures.

Preston have lost only three of their last 17 fixtures and North End’s last three wins have been by a 2-1 scoreline.

Four of Preston’s last five away games have featured at least three goals.

Prediction

Preston have been a resilient bunch in recent months and are ready to frustrate Norwich by taking at least a point from their long trip to Norfolk.

The season has been a slow burner for the Lilywhites, who were in the relegation zone at the end of September and have never broken into the top half.

But they have sustained only three losses since the November international break and can nullify a Norwich side hoping to benefit from the return of their top scorer, Sainz, after a six-game ban.

Sainz was outstanding in the early part of the campaign but has not found the net since November and might struggle to make the difference in an evenly-matched affair.

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