Stoke City vs Preston North End
Match details. Championship, Regular Season - 13. Kick-off is Sat 31 Oct, 13:30 Lagos time. It is played at Bet365 Stadium, Stoke on Trent.
What's at stake. Stoke City are 9th on 20 points after 12 games, level on points with QPR, 2 points clear of Blackburn. A win would take them above QPR. Preston North End are 24th on 5 points after 12 games, 2 points behind Derby. A win would take them above Derby.
Form. Stoke City have won six, drawn two and lost two of their last ten, 2.0 points a game. Their last five, newest first: D W L W W. Preston North End have won one, drawn two and lost seven of their last ten, 0.5 points a game. Their last five, newest first: D L L L D.
The numbers. Stoke City score 1.8 and concede 0.8 a game in their last five at home, with three clean sheets. Stoke City average 12.4 shots (4.1 on target), 4.4 corners and 1.8 cards a game, with 49% of the ball. Preston North End score 0.8 and concede 2.6 a game in their last five away, with no clean sheets and two games without a goal. Preston North End average 12.4 shots (2.8 on target), 4.8 corners and 2.4 cards a game, with 37% of the ball.
Head to head. In the last ten meetings Stoke City have won two, drawn four and lost four. Three of the ten went over 2.5 goals and both teams scored in five. In the last four, three were drawn and Preston North End won one. The last time they met, on 20 Mar 2026, it finished Stoke City 1-3 Preston North End: Stoke City had 13 shots to 13, 54% of the ball, three yellow cards.
Where it pulls both ways. It pulls both ways: their goals for and against make Stoke City the likelier winners, but Stoke City are the stronger side on form and the table; both teams' records favour Stoke City; the meetings favour Preston North End. On goals, their goals for and against point to a tight game; their records put over 2.5 goals at 58%; seven of the last ten meetings went under 2.5.
The case against. The meetings do not back them. Not everything agrees on goals: their goals for and against point to a tight game. Not everything agrees on goals: seven of the last ten meetings went under 2.5.
The read. Stoke City to win. An open game. Their goals for and against make Stoke City the likelier winners; Stoke City are the stronger side on form and the table; both teams' records favour Stoke City; the meetings favour Preston North End. Their records put over 2.5 goals at 58%.
The bets. Best bet: Stoke City to win at 1.79, 88% on the records (the tipsters read Stoke City as a clear winner (3 scores) and Stoke City are 1.2 points a game better this season - 21 of 24 games like this were won). Backup: Stoke City or Both Teams Score at 1.17. It often rescues the bet, but it is no guarantee. Leave: Under 4.5 Goals (Stoke City are a clear winner, no Unders); Under 5.5 Goals (Stoke City are a clear winner, no Unders). Predicted score: Stoke City 2-1 Preston North End (10% chance).
Every score's chance from both teams' checked games, never cut or rescaled. The lit square is the likeliest score that fits the read (the call and an open game).