**Stoke's in the mood, Preston's in the dumps** — the Potters are clicking with three wins in five, while Preston are barely treading water in the drop zone. 🔴

Stoke have been solid lately and earned a draw at home to Bristol City before beating Derby on the road. Preston, though? They've shipped goals for fun — four against Birmingham, four against Wrexham — and look vulnerable at the back with three key players missing through injury.

Key storylines:

- **Stoke's midfield mettle** — McGlynn and Galbraith will need to control the tempo; Preston's missing depth here after losing McCann and Gibbs
- **Preston's leaky defense** — Hughes, Gibson, and the backline are under serious pressure; Hirst and Cissé will smell blood upfront
- **Home advantage matters** — The Potters rarely lose at bet365, and they've got the form to back it up

Expected lineups:

- **Stoke City**: V. Johansson, L. Graham, B. Wilmot, B. Lawal, B. Johnson, J. McGlynn, E. Galbraith, D. Soumaré, B. Jun-Ho, G. Hirst, L. Cissé
- **Preston North End**: D. Iversen, J. Storey, A. Hughes, L. Gibson, A. Vukčević, O. Offiah, L. Leroy, A. Devine, J. Thompson, J. Kenny

Prediction:

**Stoke City 2–0 Preston North End**

Stoke have the edge in form and fitness; Preston just don't have enough bodies or bite right now. 📍