Preston Blackburn Rovers derby: form, stats and H2H
The Preston Blackburn Rovers Lancashire derby at Deepdale kicks off at 12.30pm on Saturday 5 September 2026, with Championship points on the line. Preston North End are still without a league point after four losses, while Blackburn remain unbeaten in their last six trips to Deepdale. Boss Paul Heckingbottom is under mounting pressure.
Key Takeaways
- Preston are the only Championship side without a point after four defeats and have lost five games in a row in all competitions.
- Blackburn Rovers are unbeaten in six visits to Deepdale (three wins) and completed a league double over Preston last season.
- Tony Mowbray's side are short of defenders, with only one senior centre-half available after Tom Atcheson's red card against Lincoln.
- Referee Anthony Backhouse takes charge; both clubs rank among the division's busiest card and foul tallies early this season.
The first Lancashire derby of the season arrives with Deepdale under a cloud. According to The Telegraph, Preston have conceded nine Championship goals already and were also beaten 4-0 at home by Everton in the EFL Cup. A midweek 3-1 loss at Bristol City offered slight improvement, even as new signings Johnny Kenny and Liam Gibbs were unveiled on the big screens.
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What do the Championship form numbers say?
Preston's search for a first league point defines the narrative. Heckingbottom's side sit alone at the bottom of the early table on zero points. Across all competitions they have lost five straight.
Blackburn's start has been steadier if imperfect. Mowbray's team should have taken something from Wolves on opening night before a late penalty denied them, then beat Middlesbrough. A 0-0 with Lincoln left them shorn of Atcheson through suspension, leaving selection thin at centre-half.
How strong is Blackburn's Deepdale head-to-head?
Recent H2H tilts heavily toward the visitors. Rovers are unbeaten in their previous six trips to Deepdale, winning three of those contests, and they swept both league meetings with Preston last season. That away record underpins why tipsters still fancy them despite injury concerns.
BBC Sport lists Preston in a 3-4-1-2 and Blackburn in a 4-2-3-1, with Heckingbottom and Mowbray named as the opposing managers and Backhouse as referee.
Why could cards and fouls decide the mood?
Discipline is already a talking point. Blackburn have collected 13 cards in four games (12 cautions and one red), joint-worst in the division, while Preston have 10 bookings. Jordan Thompson leads Preston's foul count with nine in four league matches and two yellows already. Last season both clubs finished among the Championship's heaviest card tallies.
Coverage is on Sky Sports Main Event and Sky Sports Football. Whether Preston finally break their duck or Rovers extend their Deepdale streak, the derby will say plenty about both managers' early-season standing.