Burnley head to Deepdale looking to pile pressure on their promotion rivals with a victory that would take them back to the top of Sky Bet Championship.
The Clarets made it 20 games unbeaten with a 1-1 draw against Middlesbrough on Tuesday night in front of a fever pitch Turf Moor.
Michael Keane’s struck late to preserve an impressive run and cancel out Jordan Rhodes’ 70th minute opener.
Opponents Preston North End battled back from 2-0 down to gain a point against Birmingham City on Tuesday night and will be looking to end the season strongly.
Will Keane and Daniel Johnson’s goals saw them win the reverse fixture at Turf Moor and Simon Grayson’s men have impressed on their return to the second tier.
(Last five games in all competitions)
Preston North End: WLLDD
Burnley: DDWWD
Sean Dyche will be well aware of Joe Garner from the time they spent together at Watford. Dyche signed the Blackburn-born forward from Nottingham Forest in 2011.
The pair met up again at he 2014 North West Football Awards when Dyche won the Manager of the Year and Garner scooped League One Player of the Year after an impressive 27 goals helped the Lilywhites to promotion.
In the current campaign, Garner has made another significant contribution, with 6 goals and 5 assists for Simon Grayson’s men and he will be hoping to end the season with a flourish.
Burnley 0-2 Preston North End (Keane 63’, Johnson 86’)
Burnley line-up: Heaton (c), Darikwa (Lowton, 78), Duff, M Keane, Mee, Boyd (Taylor, 71), Barton, Jones, Arfield (Kightly, 77), Vokes, Gray.
Subs not used: Gilks, Ward, Marney, Hennings.
PNE line-up: Pickford, Vermijl, Reach, Clarke (c), Huntington, Cunningham, Johnson (Welsh, 90), Gallagher, Browne, Garner, W Keane (Hugill, 79).
Subs not used: Kirkland, Kilkenny, Doyle, Woods, Brownhill.
Attendance: 18,614 (2,399 away fans)
Referee: Mr K Friend
Sean Dyche has confirmed that James Tarkowski will come ‘back into the thinking’ for the televised clash against Preston North End after he missed Tuesday’s clash against Middlesbrough.
Simon Grayson is sweating on the fitness of goalkeeper Anders Lindegaard (shoulder) and Marnick Vermijl (foot) after both were substituted during Tuesday’s 2-2 at Birmingham.
Chris Kirkland could come in for his first start since the goalless draw at home to Brighton and Calum Woods could return at full back having missed the last two games with a calf injury.
Referee Kevin Friend will take charge of tomorrow night’s Sky Bet Championship clash against Preston North End at Deepdale (7.45pm).
The Leicestershire official has refereed 28 games so far this season, issuing 86 yellow cards and 6 red cards in the process.
He was also in charge for the reverse fixture against Preston North End at Turf Moor when goals from Will Keane and Daniel Johnson saw the visitors run out 2-0 winners.
Five players were booked on that occasion. Matt Lowton and Joey Barton for the Clarets and three for Preston.
Mr Friend will be assisted by Mr Richard West, Mr Marc Perry and fourth official Mr Andrew Madeley.
Sean Dyche: “The derby is important, I know that, but the three points are important as well, so it makes for a good game.
“The focus has been clear for a long time and that is win the next game. It is for others to look at the bigger picture, but our focus is on [Preston]. They have done really well. ‘Larry’ is a good guy, he has done
really well with his team. They have been really solid and there are good people doing a good job there.
“There is a team that is really honest, they work hard and have changed their shape at times and it another fantastic Championship challenge and an appropriate challenge for this stage of the season.”
Simon Grayson: "Everybody can’t wait for the game. I am looking forward to it. The players can’t wait and hopefully the supporters are excited about it as well. It was a fixture everyone was looking forward to when they came out last June.
“We had a fantastic result at Turf Moor in December, but we know we are in for a tough game. We know what is at stake for them and what is around the corner potentially for them, but it is about what we do.”
Promotion contenders Burnley have been given odds of 11/10 by Sky Bet to bag all three points away to Preston live on Sky Sports on Friday.
North End have been priced up at 13/5 by Sky Bet to secure a home win and the draw is on offer at 9/4.
Sky Bet have priced up four of Sky Sports pundit Ian Holloway’s tip as Price Boosts, including a player to be sent off at odds enhanced from 100/30 to 7/2.
Sign up at www.skybet.com/FL72
Burnley go to derby rivals Preston North End tomorrow night for a huge game in their bid to return to the Premier League.
After the 1-1 draw at home to leaders Middlesbrough on Tuesday night, Sean Dyche's men lie two points adrift of Boro, with Brighton level on points with Burnley but edged into third on goal difference.
The Clarets have the chance to steal a march on their rivals, who both play on Saturday.
And Clarets reporter Chris Boden, and his Preston colleague Dave Seddon from the Lancashire Evening Post, got together to preview the Deepdale derby, as North End aim for a first double over Burnley in eight years.
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