Preston North End make one change for huge clash with Millwall in Championship play-off race

Alvaro Fernandez is the man to miss out, Robbie Brady instead comes in for the Spaniard.

Otherwise it is as you were in terms of North End’s starting XI, as they face fifth placed Millwall – the two sides level on points and separated only by goal difference.

A win at the Den would see the Lilywhites end the day in the top six, a draw would see no change in their standings.

Freddie Woodman starts in goal, Jordan Storey, Liam Lindsay and Andrew Hughes making up the defence. Brad Potts will start at right wing back, with Brady on the other flank. Ben Whiteman, Daniel Johnson and Josh Onomah make up the middle of PNE’s midfield, with Tom Cannon partnering Troy Parrott who returns to Millwall after a loan spell with the Lions in 2020. That was the Tottenham Hotspur loanee’s first move away from his parent club.

North End have drawn two and lost five of their last seven league games against today’s hosts, last beaten 4-2 at Deepdale in the final game before the World Cup break earlier on this campaign.

Gary Rowett’s men will be looking to avoid firing a blank for five games in a row, the last time they did such was in 2011 – they have drawn two and lost two of their last four.

Millwall make one change for the game, Andreas Voglsammer coming in for George Honeyman.

PNE Starting XI: Woodman, Storey, Lindsay, Hughes, Potts, Whiteman, Onomah, Johnson, Brady, Parrott, Cannon.

PNE subs; Cornell, Bauer, Diaby, Fernandez, Ledson, Woodburn, Delap.

Millwall Starting XI: Long, McNamara, Hutchinson, Cooper, Wallace, Mitchell, Saville, Voglsammer, Flemming, Burke, Bradshaw.

Millwall subs: Bialkowski, Evans, Malone, Shackleton, Watmore, Bennett, Esse.