Preston North End and Aberdeen are set to face each other in a friendly match at Deepdale on Saturday. Both teams are in the final stages of their preseason preparations before their respective league campaigns begin.
Preston North End finished 12th in the Championship last season and narrowly missed out on a playoff spot. They had a strong finish to the season with three consecutive wins, but a loss to Millwall derailed their hopes of a top-six finish. In their preseason matches, Preston recorded a 7-0 win over Bamber Bridge and a 3-0 victory over Bruno’s Magpies in Spain. However, they suffered a 1-0 defeat to Barrow and a 2-1 loss to Ipswich Town in their most recent match.
Aberdeen had a successful season in the Scottish Premiership as they finished third, securing a place in the Europa League playoff round. They had a strong finish to the season with seven straight wins in the first phase and managed to maintain their form in the Championship phase. In preseason, Aberdeen recorded a 9-0 win over Turriff United and a 2-0 victory over Fraserburgh.
Both teams are expected to field strong starting lineups for Saturday’s friendly. Preston will rely on their summer signings Will Keane and Mads Frokjaer-Jensen to lead their attack, with Felipe Rodriguez-Gentile also likely to feature after scoring as a substitute against Ipswich Town. Aberdeen’s new signing Ester Solker, who has scored five goals in his first two preseason appearances, is expected to lead their front line. Leighton Clarkson and Graeme Shinnie, who have had their loan moves made permanent, should start in midfield.
In terms of predictions, Preston North End is favored to win the match with a scoreline of 3-1. They have a stronger squad and the home advantage, which should give them the upper hand. However, Aberdeen will be confident following their positive start to preseason and will aim to put up a good performance.
Overall, this friendly match will serve as a crucial opportunity for both teams to fine-tune their preparations before the start of their respective league campaigns.
