Following the appointment of Ryan Lowe in December, Preston North End have taken impressive strides in the Championship, earning 20 points from their first 12 league games under the new boss.
In that time, the Lilywhites have picked up five victories while only suffering two defeats, although one of those losses did come at the weekend, as they hosted Reading after a six-game unbeaten run produced 12 points.
The Lancashire outfit had a nightmare start, as a Lucas Joao double gave the visitors an early lead, and, after John Swift made it 3-0, second-half goals from Daniel Johnson and Cameron Archer were not enough as they eventually succumbed to a 3-2 defeat.
With that causing a drop to 12th spot, Lowe’s men will now look to put a disappointing day behind them as they go in search of an immediate return to winning ways on home turf on Tuesday, although their visitors arrive in fine form of their own.
Having been scheduled to take on Bournemouth away from home on Friday night, Nottingham Forest instead spent the weekend out of action as the game was called off due to the effects of Storm Eunice, denying them the opportunity to stretch an impressive run of results.
Steve Cooper’s side have now won six of their last eight games in all competitions, including eye-catching FA Cup wins over Arsenal and defending champions Leicester City alongside league victories over Millwall, Derby County and Barnsley.
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The Reds followed up their 4-1 thrashing of Leicester with another three-point haul in England’s second tier, as James Garner and Brennan Johnson got on the scoresheet in a 2-0 victory away at third-placed Blackburn Rovers.
They then met Stoke City at home most recently, and, in a dramatic game in which defender Joe Worrall had to deputise in goal after Brice Samba’s red card, Ryan Yates eventually snatched an equalising goal in the 92nd-minute to see them earn a point from a 2-2 draw.
While their postponement on Friday has seen the City Ground side briefly fall behind in the race for playoff spots, they do remain just three points behind sixth-placed Sheffield United, and their position could be hugely improved with an away victory on Tuesday
