Stoke City, Preston North End Set for Boxing Day Clash

STOKE-ON-TRENT, England (Interstat) — Stoke City will host Preston North End on Friday in a Championship fixture, as the second-tier league resumes its schedule following the holiday break.

The match at bet365 Stadium is set for a 3 p.m. local kickoff on Dec. 26.

Stoke (10-6-8) enters on the back of a 2-1 home victory over Swansea City on Dec. 13. That win snapped a three-game losing streak across all competitions for Alex Neil’s side, which had previously suffered defeats to Ipswich Town, Sheffield United and Hull City. Their form at home has been strong, with four wins and one draw in their last five matches in Staffordshire, including a 5-1 rout of Bristol City on Nov. 1.

Preston (7-12-5) arrives after a 1-1 home draw with Norwich City on Dec. 20. That result extended North End’s current unbeaten run to five matches (2-3-0), though they have drawn four of those contests. Manager Ryan Lowe’s team has shown resilience but a knack for sharing points, with seven draws in their last 10 league outings. Their away form has been mixed, with a notable 2-0 win at Southampton on Nov. 1 but more recent draws at Watford and Oxford United.

The statistical service Interstat projects a 1-1 draw for Friday’s contest.

Historically, this fixture has been closely contested. The teams last met in the 2023-24 season, with Stoke winning 2-0 at home in December 2023 before a 1-1 draw at Deepdale in April 2024.

Following this match, both teams face a quick turnaround. Stoke will host Sheffield United on Monday, Dec. 29, while Preston travels to face Wrexham on the same day.

Key matchup to watch: Stoke’s home defensive solidity, conceding just four goals in their last five at bet365 Stadium, against a Preston attack that has scored in nine consecutive matches but has often settled for a single goal.

Injury reports for both clubs were not immediately released.

The game is one of six Championship matches scheduled for Boxing Day.