Preston North End welcome West Brom to Deepdale on 24 October 2026 in a Championship fixture that just about sums up where both clubs are right now. Preston are 24th with four points from 11 games, the worst defensive record in the division at 24 goals conceded and only nine scored, whereas West Brom are fifth with 20 points from the same number of matches and arrive off back to back wins. One side is winless in six and fighting to stay in this division, the other is fifth, four points off the top two. Graham Alexander and James Morrison have never faced each other as managers, so whatever tactical battle develops here will be entirely fresh ground.
Preston's recent results are hard to dress up. A 1-4 hammering at Wrexham on 17 October followed a 0-4 loss at Birmingham around 14 October, leaving Alexander with three straight defeats since taking charge and concession volumes that point to something more systemic than a bad patch. West Brom, meanwhile, ground out a 3-2 away win at Blackburn on 17 October to complete back to back wins, with Morrison's side arriving at Deepdale in noticeably better shape than a fortnight ago.
Preston have a full squad available, giving Alexander options as he tries to implement changes following a series of backroom departures around 20 October. West Brom will be without Noah Galves, sidelined with a knee injury, though Morrison's core group is otherwise unchanged and has won their last two.
Alexander inherited a defence that had simply stopped functioning. The 24 goals conceded reflect systemic problems in transition and set piece defending that aren't going to be fixed overnight and his early work has centred on tightening the midfield shape and getting the ball forward more quickly through Alfie Devine, whose technical range could at least take some pressure off the back line. Callum Lang leads the attack as top scorer, with fellow new arrival Johnny Kenny giving Alexander a second forward option, though it depends on whether Preston can move the ball quickly enough to get him in. The real question is whether Alexander can generate defensive stability fast enough because without it the same high turnovers and exposed full backs that have plagued them all season will keep producing the same results.
West Brom have grown more creative under Morrison in what looks like a pragmatic 4-1-4-1, with an emphasis on controlled possession and quick switches that paid off clearly at Blackburn. Isaac Price, their leading scorer, drives most of what West Brom do between the lines. Heggebo's recent goals mean Preston can't focus solely on Price, while Pereira's overlapping runs from full back open space for both men. Against a Preston side this porous, Preston's centre backs will need to split their attention between Price's movement and Heggebo's runs and they haven't managed that against anyone this season.
The central midfield battle will likely decide it. Devine needs to screen well while finding Lang in dangerous areas, though Price's movement between the lines will test Preston's centre backs, who have struggled against mobile attackers throughout the season. If Preston press high, West Brom's back to back wins suggest they have the composure to play through it and transition quickly into the space left behind.
West Brom have gone seven meetings unbeaten against Preston and the two most recent scorelines speak for themselves: a 0-2 away win at Deepdale on 18 April 2026 following a 2-1 home win on 18 October 2025. Preston's concession tally makes them an obvious set piece target and West Brom mix short corners with direct balls that test organised blocks, while Preston's aerial duels and runner tracking have been poor all season. Deepdale crowds have lifted Preston before but a fast West Brom goal would quickly silence that.
West Brom to win 2-1. West Brom's defensive structure, Price's movement and seven meetings unbeaten against this side all weigh against Preston. Heggebo has scored in consecutive matches and Lang or Devine could nick one for the hosts given that home desperation has a way of generating something but unless Alexander's defensive shape holds for ninety minutes (and there is no evidence yet it can) West Brom should take this.
Ryan Baldi
Football Writer
Ryan Baldi is a professional football writer with years of experience and has been featured by respected outlets such as the BBC, The Guardian, Sky Sports, DAZN, FourFourTwo, ESPN, Yahoo Sport and Football365. He has also written several books including Arsène Who?.
