Since Ryan Lowe was appointed Preston manager in December, only Huddersfield Town have picked up more points in the Championship (21) than the Lilywhites (20).
The Lancashire outfit have lost just once in 11 league games under former Plymouth boss Lowe and now have ambitions of finishing in the top six.
Cameron Archer scored the only goal of the game as Preston beat Peterborough United 1-0 last weekend, which was their fourth successive clean sheet.
The Lilywhites have lost just twice in the league at Deepdale this season, but have won only once in their last seven matches on home turf – they have drawn the last four.
With their next three matches all against teams in the top half, Lowe’s side will be eager to keep their momentum going as they enter a crucial period of the campaign.
Reading managed to end their run of eight successive defeats away at Peterborough on Wednesday, but were still left disappointed following a 0-0 draw against their relegation rivals.
The Royals had the chance to put five points between them and the bottom three at the Weston Homes Stadium but showed little to suggest that they can pull away from danger any time soon.https://736cbc242bea46983e3259dee7995e42.safeframe.googlesyndication.com/safeframe/1-0-38/html/container.html?n=0
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The clean sheet was their first since mid-October, but the Berkshire outfit remain the joint-worst defensive side in the league having conceded 60 goals this season.
Veljko Paunovic’s future remains severely in doubt and his side have won just two of their last 20 matches in all competitions.
However, Reading have won six of their last eight games against Preston and claimed a 2-1 victory over the Lilywhites earlier this season
