Plymouth Argyle vs Preston North End Prediction: Plymouth aiming to get away from relegation zone

Plymouth Argyle will welcome Preston North End at Home Park in Game Week 12 of the English Championship. Plymouth will be aiming to get away from bottom three as early as possible. Who will come out on top after 90 minutes?

Plymouth Argyle Form

Wayne Rooney is accustomed to marshaling a team out of a tricky situation after a trying season in the Championship, and he has the challenge of his career here to get Plymouth back on track. Even so, they do win prior to the October break at Blackburn Rovers, but Plymouth have failed to score in the last two away games following an allowance of four goals to Cardiff City and then three to Millwall. The team's defeat in Cardiff was made worse by a first-half red card as the team succumbed 5-0. Plymouth lost to Millwall 1-0, and this has placed the team at the bottom rung of 21st in the league, two points above the relegation zone. Plymouth has had victories in their last three home matches, the last couple being against Sunderland and Luton Town.  

Plymouth Argyle Starting XI

Grimshaw; Edwards, Szucs, Gibson, Mumba; Gyabi, Randell; Whittaker, Al Hajj, Bundu; Obafemi

Preston North End Form

Preston, under the mentorship of Paul Heckingbottom, have been on an improving streak since August with only two losses in the last nine games and eight points from the last four games.

The latest wins for Preston include winning at home against Watford and Coventry City and have drawn goalless against Burnley. Preston is four points clear of the relegation zone now and hopes to snap its travel dry spell after winning for the first time away from home in the Championship in 336 days when it visited Plymouth on March 16 and came out victorious.

Preston North End Predicted XI Lineup

Woodman; Kesler-Hayden, Storey, Lindsay, Hughes; Whiteman, McCann; Holmes, Greenwood, Brady; Riis

Plymouth Argyle vs Preston North End Expert Picks

Rooney may make some alterations to his Plymouth side, perhaps using attacking third playmaker Rami Al Hajj. Michael Obafemi will once again be likely to feature before Ryan Hardie, although Ibrahima Cissoko is still serving his suspension following his sending off at Cardiff. Heckingbottom made only two changes for the last game when Preston faced Norwich, so many of the Preston XI are expected to reappear in the same line-up. Stefan Thordarson and Mads Frokjaer-Jensen must come into the side following the last match in which they both warmed the bench. Milutin Osmajic will continue to miss eight matches due to an altercation with Blackburn Rovers. Although Plymouth are currently woeful away from home, the hosts have been better at Home. Therefore, we tip a draw between Rooney's Plymouth and improving Preston.