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Preston
0W 1D 4L · Goals 2–12
5 matches, 10 Oct to 31 Oct
15
Very poor
LLLDLLatest →
atStoke City
ChampionshipL0–2
vsWest BromChampionshipD1–1
atWrexhamChampionshipL1–4
atBirminghamChampionshipL0–4
vsMillwallChampionshipL0–1
Full time
2-3
Tue 3 Nov20:45 WAT
Preston vs Sheffield Utd prediction
- Round
- Regular Season - 14
- Venue
- Deepdale Stadium, Preston
- Referee
- John Busby
Published by the BetGenius Editorial Desk · Editorial policy
Our call
Our verdict
Total Goals
Over 2.5 Goals
BetGenius backs Over 2.5 Goals (Total Goals) at 55% confidence — a moderate call. Total goals: Over 2.5 Goals.
55%
Confidence
Moderate
Preview
Match preview
Sheffield United visit Preston in a Championship meeting of 10th against 24th. Sheffield United have 19 points from 13 games and a goal difference of +2, while Preston have 5 points and a goal difference of -17, sitting bottom of the table in the relegation zone. On the league table data, the gap between the sides is wide.
Preston's form is poor at both ends. They have won once in 13 league games, scored 10 and conceded 27, and failed to score in five of those matches. At home they are 1 win, 1 draw and 4 defeats, with 5 scored and 10 conceded in six games. Their last five read L, D, L, L, L, with their only goals in that run coming in a 1-1 draw with West Brom and a 1-4 defeat at Wrexham. Sheffield United have 5 wins, 4 draws and 4 defeats, with 17 scored and 15 conceded, and five clean sheets. Their last five read W, D, W, L, W, and they have kept a clean sheet in three of their home games.
Head-to-head data covers 10 meetings with an average of 3.3 goals and both teams scoring in 60 percent of them, with 60 percent finishing over 2.5. Preston won the two most recent meetings 3-2, one in October 2025 and one in April 2026. Availability is current as of kickoff day. Preston are without H. Clarke, L. Gibbs, A. McCann and T. Carroll through injury, and L. Gibson is not selected. Sheffield United are without L. Kitching (suspended after yellow cards), M. Doherty and J. Shackleton (injuries), and R. One and P. Bamford, their leading scorer with 5 goals, who is listed as not selected. Preston are managed by P. Heckingbottom and Sheffield United by C. Wilder.
Analysis
Key factors
- Sheffield United sit 10th with 19 points and a goal difference of +2, while Preston are bottom on 5 points with a goal difference of -17.
- Preston have won once in 13 league games, score 0.8 goals per game and have failed to score in five matches.
- Preston's defensive record is the weakest in the division's bottom group, conceding 2.1 per game on average and 27 goals in total.
- Sheffield United's leading scorer P. Bamford (5 goals) and L. Kitching (suspended) are unavailable, which weakens their attacking and defensive options.
- The head-to-head sample averages 3.3 goals per meeting, with 60 percent finishing over 2.5, although Preston won the two most recent meetings 3-2.
Form
Recent form and results
Away
Sheffield Utd
3W 1D 1L · Goals 8–4
5 matches, 10 Oct to 30 Oct
69
Strong
WLWDWLatest →
- vsWrexhamChampionshipW1–0
vsDerbyChampionshipD1–1
atBristol CityChampionshipW1–0
atPortsmouthChampionshipL2–3
vsLincolnChampionshipW3–0
Last five completed matches across all competitions. Scores are from the named team’s perspective; “vs” is a home match, “at” an away one. The form rating (0–100) weights recent results more heavily and does not account for opponent strength.
Teams
Lineups & team news
Preston · 3-4-1-2
- 1 D. Iversen (G)
- 24 O. Offiah (D)
- 14 J. Storey (D)
- 16 A. Hughes (D)
- 17 S. Mills (M)
- 27 L. Leroy (M)
- 15 J. Thompson (M)
- 3 A. Vukčević (M)
- 23 A. Moran (M)
- 9 J. Erabi (F)
- 38 J. Kenny (F)
Sheffield Utd · 4-4-2
- 1 M. Cooper (G)
- 8 H. Choudhury (D)
- 5 J. Tanganga (D)
- 25 M. McGuinness (D)
- 14 H. Burrows (D)
- 19 T. Chong (M)
- 42 Sydie Peck (M)
- 44 J. Riedewald (M)
- 11 R. Donovan (M)
- 9 T. Cannon (F)
- 22 B. Brereton (F)
PrestonSubstitutes (9)
- 37D. BurgzorgF
- 7A. DevineM
- 10C. LangF
- 6L. LindsayD
- 21L. NichollsG
- 44B. PottsM
- 11T. SmallD
- 12C. WileyD
- 32Ed NolanD
Sheffield UtdSubstitutes (8)
- 33J. BaptisteM
- 23T. CampbellF
- 2M. DohertyD
- 3S. McCallumD
- 30R. Norrington-DaviesD
- 38F. SerikiD
- 10J. AyewF
- 4O. ArblasterM
Starting XIs reported by API-Football, fetched 3 Nov 2026, 20:42 WAT. These are reported lineups, not predicted selections. Late changes may follow.
Preston
- H. ClarkeKnee Injury
- L. GibbsMuscle Injury
- A. McCannHamstring Injury
- T. CarrollAnkle Injury
- L. GibsonInactive
Sheffield Utd
- M. DohertyInjury
- J. ShackletonHealth problems
- L. KitchingYellow Cards
- R. OneInactive
- P. BamfordInactive
Numbers
Statistical comparison
Venue records: Preston: Championship (2026); Sheffield Utd: Championship (2026). Recent goal rates use all competitions, separately from the venue records.
A dash means unavailable or too few matches: averages need 3 matches; percentages need 5. Missing is never zero.
Preston at homeSheffield Utd away
6
Played
6
1-1-4
W-D-L
2-2-2
0.8
Scored /game
1.3
1.7
Conceded /game
1.3
0%
Clean sheets
33%
33%
Failed to score
17%
40% (5 games)
BTTS (recent)
40% (5 games)
40% (5 games)
Over 2.5 (recent)
40% (5 games)
Combined scoring rate: 2.1 goals per game (Preston at home plus Sheffield Utd away).
Table
Table context
| # | Team | P | GD | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 6 | West BromPromotion - Championship (Play Offs: Quarter-finals) | 14 | +5 | 25 |
| 7 | SouthamptonPromotion - Championship (Play Offs: Quarter-finals) | 14 | +15 | 24 |
| 8 | West HamPromotion - Championship (Play Offs: Quarter-finals) | 14 | +15 | 23 |
| 9 | Sheffield Utd | 14 | +3 | 22 |
| 10 | Portsmouth | 14 | +3 | 22 |
| 11 | QPR | 14 | +5 | 21 |
| 12 | Norwich | 14 | +3 | 18 |
| 21 | Charlton | 14 | -11 | 14 |
| 22 | BurnleyRelegation - League One | 14 | -8 | 10 |
| 23 | DerbyRelegation - League One | 14 | -18 | 7 |
| 24 | PrestonRelegation - League One | 14 | -18 | 5 |
History
Head-to-head
- 2
- Preston
- 3
- Draws
- 5
- Sheffield Utd
Sheffield Utd have won 5 of the last 10 meetings, averaging 3.3 goals a game, both teams scored in 60% of them.
- 2026-04-25Sheffield Utd2-3Preston
- 2025-10-24Preston3-2Sheffield Utd
- 2025-03-08Sheffield Utd1-0Preston
- 2024-08-09Preston0-2Sheffield Utd
- 2023-04-29Sheffield Utd4-1Preston
Prices
Archived pre-match odds
Provider quote time: 3 Nov 2026, 17:26 WAT. Decimal prices. Historical quotes, not current offers. Coverage varies by selection; these are cached quotes, not a complete market survey.
Match Winner
| Selection | Best quote | Median / books |
|---|---|---|
| Away | 2.00 · PinnacleNamed quotes (5)
| 1.94 / 10 |
| Draw | 3.67 · PinnacleNamed quotes (5)
| 3.47 / 10 |
| Home | 4.00 · Bet365Named quotes (5)
| 3.82 / 10 |
Double Chance
| Selection | Best quote | Median / books |
|---|---|---|
| Draw/Away | 1.28 · BetanoNamed quotes (5)
| 1.25 / 8 |
| Home/Away | 1.30 · William HillNamed quotes (5)
| 1.26 / 8 |
| Home/Draw | 1.88 · SBONamed quotes (5)
| 1.83 / 8 |
Goals Over/Under
| Selection | Best quote | Median / books |
|---|---|---|
| Under 6.5 | 1.02 · BetanoNamed quotes (1)
| 1.02 / 1 |
| Under 4.75 | 1.04 · MarathonbetNamed quotes (2)
| 1.04 / 2 |
| Under 5.0 | 1.04 · 1xBetNamed quotes (1)
| 1.04 / 1 |
| Under 5.5 | 1.05 · Bet365Named quotes (4)
| 1.04 / 4 |
| Over 0.5 | 1.06 · BetanoNamed quotes (4)
| 1.04 / 4 |
| Under 4.25 | 1.11 · MarathonbetNamed quotes (2)
| 1.11 / 2 |
| Under 4.5 | 1.15 · PinnacleNamed quotes (5)
| 1.10 / 7 |
| Over 1.25 | 1.18 · BetVictorNamed quotes (3)
| 1.10 / 3 |
| Under 4.0 | 1.18 · BetVictorNamed quotes (3)
| 1.13 / 3 |
| Under 3.75 | 1.27 · BetVictorNamed quotes (3)
| 1.24 / 3 |
| Over 1.5 | 1.29 · BetanoNamed quotes (5)
| 1.25 / 7 |
| Over 1.75 | 1.33 · BetVictorNamed quotes (3)
| 1.28 / 3 |
| Under 3.5 | 1.40 · Bet365Named quotes (5)
| 1.37 / 7 |
| Over 2.0 | 1.44 · BetanoNamed quotes (5)
| 1.41 / 5 |
| Under 3.25 | 1.49 · PinnacleNamed quotes (4)
| 1.43 / 4 |
| Under 3.0 | 1.58 · SBONamed quotes (5)
| 1.56 / 6 |
| Over 2.25 | 1.64 · PinnacleNamed quotes (5)
| 1.59 / 5 |
| Under 2.75 | 1.79 · PinnacleNamed quotes (5)
| 1.73 / 5 |
| Over 2.5 | 1.87 · BetfairNamed quotes (5)
| 1.83 / 8 |
| Under 2.5 | 2.02 · PinnacleNamed quotes (5)
| 1.98 / 8 |
| Over 2.75 | 2.12 · SBONamed quotes (5)
| 1.97 / 5 |
| Under 2.25 | 2.36 · PinnacleNamed quotes (5)
| 2.28 / 5 |
| Over 3.0 | 2.50 · PinnacleNamed quotes (5)
| 2.31 / 6 |
| Over 3.25 | 2.71 · PinnacleNamed quotes (4)
| 2.58 / 4 |
| Under 2.0 | 3.07 · PinnacleNamed quotes (5)
| 2.86 / 5 |
| Over 3.5 | 3.15 · PinnacleNamed quotes (5)
| 3.00 / 7 |
| Under 1.75 | 3.24 · 1xBetNamed quotes (3)
| 3.20 / 3 |
| Over 3.75 | 3.44 · 1xBetNamed quotes (3)
| 3.42 / 3 |
| Under 1.5 | 4.00 · Bet365Named quotes (5)
| 3.65 / 7 |
| Over 4.0 | 4.60 · MarathonbetNamed quotes (3)
| 4.60 / 3 |
| Over 4.25 | 4.96 · 1xBetNamed quotes (2)
| 4.96 / 2 |
| Under 1.25 | 5.00 · MarathonbetNamed quotes (3)
| 5.00 / 3 |
| Over 4.5 | 6.50 · BetfairNamed quotes (5)
| 5.60 / 7 |
| Over 4.75 | 6.75 · MarathonbetNamed quotes (2)
| 6.75 / 2 |
| Under 1.0 | 9.00 · MarathonbetNamed quotes (2)
| 9.00 / 2 |
| Over 5.0 | 9.30 · MarathonbetNamed quotes (2)
| 8.60 / 2 |
| Under 0.5 | 11.00 · Bet365Named quotes (5)
| 10.10 / 5 |
| Over 5.5 | 13.00 · BetfairNamed quotes (5)
| 10.00 / 5 |
| Over 6.5 | 23.00 · Bet365Named quotes (3)
| 23.00 / 3 |
| Over 7.5 | 51.00 · Bet365Named quotes (2)
| 50.50 / 2 |
Both Teams Score
| Selection | Best quote | Median / books |
|---|---|---|
| Yes | 1.70 · BetanoNamed quotes (5)
| 1.67 / 7 |
| No | 2.20 · BetfairNamed quotes (5)
| 2.10 / 7 |
Bookmaker prices are separate from BetGenius confidence ratings. No opening price or odds movement is inferred from a single snapshot.
BetGenius
Our record in Championship
64%168 won from 261 settled predictions
Settled results only — every published pick is recorded win or lose. Full track record →
Based on at least 20 settled predictions.Predictions
2 published markets
FeaturedWON
Total Goals
Over 2.5 Goals
55%
Confidence
The league averages 2.93 goals per game, and the head-to-head sample averages 3.3 goals with 60 percent of meetings finishing over 2.5. Preston have conceded an average of 2.1 per game, and Sheffield United have conceded 1.2 overall while scoring 1.3. Against that, Preston score only 0.8 per game and have failed to score in five of 13 matches, and Sheffield United's leading scorer is unavailable, so the case for over 2.5 is moderate rather than strong.
FeaturedWON
Double Chance
Sheffield Utd or Draw
74%
Confidence
Sheffield United are the stronger side on every league measure in the data: 10th against 24th, 19 points to 5, and a goal difference of +2 against -17. Preston have won once in 13 and have failed to score in five of those games. The main way this pick loses is a Preston win, which their home form of one victory in six does not suggest is likely, or a Sheffield United defeat against a side that has scored in only half its matches. Preston's absences of four injured players add to the case for the visitors not dropping points, though the missing Sheffield United leading scorer P. Bamford is a real loss to the away attack.
Explore
More from BetGenius
Understand these picks
- Over 2.5 goals: Over 2.5 predictions · How goals markets settle · Over 2.5 record
- Double chance: Double chance predictions · How double chance works · Double chance record
Teams around them in the table
About this data
Highlighted prediction evidence recorded 2 Nov 2026, 06:10 WAT. Recent form, statistics and H2H above use that original evidence. Team news, player totals, standings and performance records may refresh separately. Published analysis is not automatically rewritten when those figures change.
Team context last fetched: Preston: 3 Nov 2026, 03:05 WAT; Sheffield Utd: 3 Nov 2026, 03:05 WAT. Table cache last fetched: 5 Nov 2026, 00:20 WAT. A fetch time does not confirm that every underlying item changed.
Completed match: published prediction record
This match has finished. The published call is retained for review; see today’s predictions.
Published November 2, 2026. The original prediction is retained; supporting context is labelled separately above.