Championship 06/03/2026 - Build-Up: Preston North End v Oxford United

[Northstandboy]

Deepdale
Friday 6th Mar 2026 @ 2000

 

[m]

Tough game.

 

[EastStandKieran]

I will be happy with a point but expect a defeat it's going to be a tough game

If we win we come out of the bottom 3 for the first time in months

 

[Swinny]

We can't follow a good performance with another good one...but Saturday wasn't really all that despite the result, so I'm calling reverse psychology on this one and we put in a Bristol City-esque away performance for 3 magnificent points! (or my theory is nonsense and we lose...which is probably more likely).

 

[Sarge]

Blimey- the prediction poll closed at 2.41

Not one of the remaining 11 games is going to be easy, notheless, reckon this will be a battling 0-1 away win

 

[Village-Yellow]

Must Win.

Must believe 3 points is more than achievable.

Must put pressure on the other 4 around us.

Must manage 2 wins on the bounce to build momentum.

Looking forward in anticipation.

COYY's

 

[CaptainOx]

Preston have won 1 in 8.

Opportunity. Don't do another Stoke.

 

[Mumyellow]

Anyone from Banbury area going and have a spare seat was thinking of going on coach and leaving car at Redbridge does anyone else do this

 

[Carpy]

Blimey- the prediction poll closed at 2.41

Not one of the remaining 11 games is going to be easy, notheless, reckon this will be a battling 0-1 away win

Opened.

 

[Sarge]

Opened.

ta

 

[holdsteady]

0-0 draw to set up two massive home games the following week.

 

[Carlislehotdog]

Win this and we're out of the relegation zone and huge pressure on Leicester and West Brom as they go into tough fixtures at the weekend. Come on you Us!

Unfortunately Friday night means I'll be watchin on tele rather than going, so we are almost certain to lose. Really can't think of a time I've watched us do well on TV.

 

[SirAndyOfCrosby]

0-0 draw to set up two massive home games the following week.

I do understand the draw hugging (with Blackburn and Charlton to come) but with multiple wins needed we can't keep passing up these opportunities against mid-table, out of form opposition.

Realistically, we need to be closing in on the 40 point barrier before the international break. If we win this, we have every chance of actually smashing through it.

 

[holdsteady]

I do understand the draw hugging (with Blackburn and Charlton to come) but with multiple wins needed we can't keep passing up these opportunities against mid-table, out of form opposition.

Realistically, we need to be closing in on the 40 point barrier before the international break. If we win this, we have every chance of actually smashing through it.

Its not what I want to happen, would much rather we won, but what I think will happen. I think the home form will have to improve to get us over the line as I still can't see us picking up big points away, but hopefully we can sneak 3 points here.

 

[EastStandKieran]

Just looking at our next four games
Preston
Blackburn
Charlton
Southampton

What should we realistically hope to take from those games 7 - 10 points obviously want 12

After that it's international break

 

[Isle of Wight Yellow]

Just looking at our next four games
Preston
Blackburn
Charlton
Southampton

What should we realistically hope to take from those games 7 - 10 points obviously want 12

After that it's international break

I feel like 8 would be good and somewhat realistic

 

[The Voice Of Reason]

Simple.....

Win......

Go outside relegation zone !

 

[TheDukeOfBanburyshire]

Win this and we're out of the relegation zone and huge pressure on Leicester and West Brom as they go into tough fixtures at the weekend. Come on you Us!

Unfortunately Friday night means I'll be watchin on tele rather than going, so we are almost certain to lose. Really can't think of a time I've watched us do well on TV.

Norwich away 1998?

 

[Orkney Islands Yellow]

Preston have won 1 in 8.

Opportunity. Don't do another Stoke.

Spot on, they're beatable.

They have their perennial make up the numbers mid-table obscurity position nailed down fjr another season so hoping their players have started thinking about their holidays!

 

[southlondonyellow]

Win this and we're out of the relegation zone and huge pressure on Leicester and West Brom as they go into tough fixtures at the weekend. Come on you Us!

Unfortunately Friday night means I'll be watchin on tele rather than going, so we are almost certain to lose. Really can't think of a time I've watched us do well on TV.

Ipswich in November was a Friday night if you watched that? But yeah over the years there seems to have been a lot more bad than good when we're on the box

 

[NottsYellow]

Friday night, live on SKY - Yep, you can just feel the whole country really looking forward this one ....... No mate, can't go out tonight it is Preston v Oxford live on TV!!!!!
What a f***** farce, Sadly, annoyingly, I really can't be bothered to tackle the Friday evening traffic to get there and then drive back across the M62 in the pitch black darkness with rain and then negotiate, navigate the road closures on the A1, not to mention the slalom of avoiding the pot holes
Saturday would have been a nice, pleasant football day out.
Not only are genuine football fans missing out but also the local pubs must be losing a bit of dosh with much lower away attendance.

 

[Carlislehotdog]

Ipswich in November was a Friday night if you watched that? But yeah over the years there seems to have been a lot more bad than good when we're on the box

I was there in person for Ipswich. To be fair I did watch bits of the Southampton win while on holiday, but it's been slim pickings on TV for me over the years.

 

[Essexyellows]

Friday night, live on SKY - Yep, you can just feel the whole country really looking forward this one ....... No mate, can't go out tonight it is Preston v Oxford live on TV!!!!!
What a f***** farce, Sadly, annoyingly, I really can't be bothered to tackle the Friday evening traffic to get there and then drive back across the M62 in the pitch black darkness with rain and then negotiate, navigate the road closures on the A1, not to mention the slalom of avoiding the pot holes
Saturday would have been a nice, pleasant football day out.
Not only are genuine football fans missing out but also the local pubs must be losing a bit of dosh with much lower away attendance.

Exactly this!

 

[JerryL]

We've done better in the tougher games this season than the 'easier' ones, so naturally we're gonna get a penalty and a back-to-back win just to get both of them out of the way

 

[Mojofilter]

This is gonna be the game of the season. we win 3-1 and have survival within our grasp by the end of the match and a good dose of confidence and buoyancy going into the final run-in.

Oh, and we'll get a penalty.

 

[SteMerritt]

Oh, and we'll get a penalty.

Will we score it?

 

[tonyw]

Just looking at our next four games
Preston
Blackburn
Charlton
Southampton

What should we realistically hope to take from those games 7 - 10 points obviously want 12

After that it's international break

I think we'll still be well in it if we get 7 points.

Southampton away is going to be really tough. They are top of the form table and chasing down a playoff spot. Their underlying metrics have been outstanding all season, but it seems like their new manager has finally got them delivering results. I think that's by some distance the toughest fixture we have left (unless Millwall still have something to play for on the final day). A point there would be a bonus.

Blackburn and Charlton at home are obviously the two you look at, and think 'We gotta win those if we're going to get out of this'.

Preston is the wild card.....a team that's probably overperformed vs. their talent level most of the season, and is now coming back to the mean.
It's winnable, and if we do, it'll take a bit of pressure off those two home games. Don't win, and especially lose, and those two become absolute 'Must Wins', just like Saturday was.

 

[EastStandKieran]

I think we'll still be well in it if we get 7 points.

Southampton away is going to be really tough. They are top of the form table and chasing down a playoff spot. Their underlying metrics have been outstanding all season, but it seems like their new manager has finally got them delivering results. I think that's by some distance the toughest fixture we have left (unless Millwall still have something to play for on the final day). A point there would be a bonus.

Blackburn and Charlton at home are obviously the two you look at, and think 'We gotta win those if we're going to get out of this'.

Preston is the wild card.....a team that's probably overperformed vs. their talent level most of the season, and is now coming back to the mean.
It's winnable, and if we do, it'll take a bit of pressure off those two home games. Don't win, and especially lose, and those two become absolute 'Must Wins', just like Saturday was.

Yea I would have to agree with that Southampton looks the hardest of the four teams (we did beat them at home tho ) I think i will stick with 7 points from 12

 

[MJB]

Will we score it?

With an unusual penalty taking technique, Brannagan scores two in a week with his a**e.

 

[SirAndyOfCrosby]

Sadly, annoyingly, I really can't be bothered to tackle the Friday evening traffic to get there

Please don't take this the wrong way - but if you can, please do go.

The team need the support. If all those wavering decide to go it could be the difference between 450 and 750 in the away end.

Just imagine victory. Imagine Lankshear nodding one in, in front of the away end. Imagine Ciaron Brown's face at the final whistle as he applauds your efforts. Imagine Jack Currie's clenched fist aloft. Imagine walking back to your car with your chest puffed out.

Imagine back-to-back wins.

Won't be the same on the tv, will it?