Both Preston North End and Birmingham City will be looking to get back to winning ways in the Championship this weekend when the two sides meet at St. Andrew’s.
Match Information
Venue: St. Andrew’s
Date: Saturday 21st January, 3pm kick-off
Competition: Sky Bet Championship (Matchday 28/46)
Kit: Third kit – available to buy in-store and online!
Supporter Information
Tickets for this fixture will remain on sale online from www.mypne.com until 1pm on Friday, while sales will continue in person from the ticket office and over the phone on 0344 856 1966 until 5pm.
There will also be the option to pay on the day, with tickets available from the away turnstiles. Please note, sales at the ground will be cash-only.
Possession and use of pyrotechnics inside St. Andrew’s is strictly prohibited in all circumstances. Anyone found guilty of such an offence will be escorted out the stadium and further action will be taken.
How To Follow The Game
This fixture has been selected for international broadcast and therefore is unavailable to watch on iFollow PNE in the majority of regions around the world. Supporters are advised to check their local TV listings to see if they are able to watch the game.
Live commentary will be available to all supporters as usual, though, with audio match passes available for £2.50, while a monthly pass can be purchased for £4.49. Click here to subscribe.
You can also follow the game across our social media channels and here on PNE.Com.
In The Dressing Room
Manager Ryan Lowe is hoping there could be a few players returning from injury in Saturday's game.
Ben Whiteman, Ched Evans and Brad Potts will all play some part in training on Thursday, and their progress will be monitored ahead of the visit to Birmingham.
Sean Maguire is back in full training and should be available for selection, with Emil Riis and Lewis Leigh now the only two longer-term absentees.
A Look At Our Hosts
Birmingham City, sat 18th in the Championship, head into the weekend following four successive defeats in the league, however they did come out on top on Tuesday night in their FA Cup third round replay against Forest Green Rovers.
Head coach John Eustace – in his first season at St. Andrew’s – opted to make five changes for the 2-1 victory, but it was only after a switch to a back four in the second half that their success came.
He admitted after the match that he may look at that formation moving forward, having played a 3-5-2 for the majority of the Championship campaign so far.
Going Head To Head
Games played: 102
PNE wins: 40
Draws: 25
Birmingham City wins: 37
Last victory: Birmingham City 0-1 PNE, 20th January 2021
One To Watch
Birmingham City’s main source of goals this season has been forward Scott Hogan, who has netted nine in his 22 league matches.
The experienced Championship forward, who has 12 caps for Republic of Ireland, is on track to have his best campaign since 2016/17, when he scored 14 times in just 25 games for Brentford.
Hogan has recently been missing with a hamstring injury and Blues’ form dipped in his absence, but he made his return to action last weekend and will be hoping for a clear run now until the end of the season.
Match Officials
Rebecca Welch will make history this weekend, becoming the first female referee to take charge of a Championship fixture.
Welch, who was the main official for an EFL fixture for the first time in July 2021, boasts vast experience in the women’s game, having officiated at the Euros, in the Champions League and in World Cup qualifiers.
So far this season, Welch has refereed 11 matches, showing 32 yellow cards, and there has tended to be plenty of goals in those games too, with a combined total of 37 being scored.