Preston North End will be hoping to get back to winning ways on Boxing Day when they welcome struggling Huddersfield Town to Deepdale in the Championship.

The Lilywhites have largely impressed so far this season but fell to defeat against Neil Critchley's Queens Park Rangers side last weekend, whereas Town failed to move off the bottom of the table after a loss against Watford.

Match preview

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A second-half strike from QPR's Jimmy Dunne sentenced Preston to successive home defeats in the Championship last time out, with Ryan Lowe's men failing to score for the first time in nine matches.

That result meant the two clubs swapped positions in the second tier, with Preston now sitting just outside the playoffs in seventh place, with their conquerors last weekend ahead of them on goals scored.

Having a defensive record only high-flying Sheffield United can best, the attention this campaign has been largely focused on how the Lancashire side can increase their output in an attacking sense, with manager Lowe admitting he would love to have Aston Villa striker Cameron Archer back for another loan spell in January.

Those mutterings from recent press conferences may concern the likes of Ched Evans and Emil Riis Jakobsen, with both managing a respectable five goals so far this season but not hitting the heights that would constitute the title of an elite marksman at this level.

The Preston attacking unit has particularly struggled at Deepdale this campaign, netting just seven times in 12 matches, the type of record that is often associated with relegation and certainly not a playoff charge.

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Huddersfield will be finding it very hard to get into the festive spirit after back-to-back defeats against Sheffield United and Watford saw the Terriers cut further adrift at the foot of the Championship.

A defensive solidity that epitomised their playoff push with Carlos Corberan last season has departed them and with the league's weakest attack, the odds look stacked against Huddersfield surviving in the second tier.

In a Championship that is even more competitive than usual, Mark Fotheringham's side have been punished for a poor start to the season and sit in 24th position, a massive seven points from safety - although they have played a game fewer than those above them.

It must be said that Huddersfield have endured a difficult run of fixtures of late and that continues with a trip to Deepdale on Boxing Day, with matches against Hull City and Blackpool in January looking decisive in deciding the fate of the club this season.

The Terriers recently lost club ambassador Michael Hefele to Corberan's new employers West Bromwich Albion, more evidence to support the idea that Huddersfield are losing the identity that made them so successful during that promotion season and their two-year spell in the Premier League.

Team News

Preston have welcomed Robbie Brady back to first-team training as Lowe's men prepare for a clash with Huddersfield on Monday, but the winger will not be available for selection just yet after time out with a calf injury.

Alan Browne, Sean Maguire, Ali McCann and Andrew Hughes have also returned to training in some form this week, with Lowe hopeful two of that quartet will be involved in the matchday squad on Monday.

Troy Parrott is now the only long-term absentee for the Lilywhites and is expected back sometime in January after sustaining a hamstring injury in the win at Norwich City during October.

Huddersfield are hoping that midfielder David Kasumu will be available for the trip to Deepdale after an ankle injury settled down enough to allow him to train over the last week.

Tino Anjorin has returned to his parent club Chelsea after ankle surgery, and it is unknown whether the youngster will feature for Town again this season.

Matty Pearson has commenced light training for Huddersfield, but Monday will come too soon for the 29-year-old defender, who suffered a broken foot at the end of the last campaign.

Preston North End possible starting lineup:
Woodman; Storey, Lindsay, Cunningham; Potts, Whiteman, Ledson, Fernandez; Woodburn, Johnson, Evans

Huddersfield Town possible starting lineup:
Nicholls; Lees, Helik, Boyle; Thomas, Hogg, Camara, Ruffels; Kasumu, Rudoni, Ward

We say: Preston North End 1-0 Huddersfield Town

Preston have their home form to blame for them not competing with the likes of Burnley and Sheffield United at the top of the Championship, but the visit of Huddersfield presents a perfect opportunity to start to overturn their poor record at Deepdale.

Fotheringham has attempted to rally his Huddersfield troops by stating his team are now entering the business end of the season, although a clash with Preston is unlikely to be the game in which the Terriers' fortunes change.

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