Coca-Cola Championship Matchday Twenty Six: Barnsley v Preston North End

Team News

Simon Davey is set to stick with the same side that has claimed back to back wins over Plymouth and Burnley as The Reds aim for three wins on the spin for the first time since April 2007. Hugo Colace will remain on the bench after Bobby Hassell put in a man of the match performance at Turf Moor whilst Jamie Cureton should start after claiming his first goal for the club.

Likely Line-Up:

Heinz Muller

Marciano Van Homoet

Stephen Foster ©

Darren Moore

Rob Kozluk

Bobby Hassell

Anderson De Silva

Jamal Campbell-Ryce

Diego Leon

Jon Macken

Jamie Cureton

Tomorrow will only be the fifth time the two sides have met at Oakwell since the 1970s when both clubs were in the Third Division, and the record is pretty patchy with two wins for each side. The Reds did the double over Preston last season with the home meeting made notable by the last minute Heinz Muller penalty save which earned a 1-0 victory. The Reds cannot do the double over their Lancashire rivals this season however after Preston downed Barnsley 2-1 at Deepdale back in November when Dennis Souza was clearly fouled for Preston's first goal and then their second arrived via a massive deflection in the 88^th minute after Jamal Campbell-Ryce had got Barnsley level.

This will be the fifth December meeting between Barnsley and Preston.

Last six Barnsley v Preston Results:

22/11/08 Preston 2-1 Barnsley (Championship)

Overall:

At Oakwell:

Barnsley Wins: 11

Preston Wins: 6

Draws: 4

Barnsley Goals: 31

Preston Goals: 22

Preston have had a pretty up and down first half of the 2008-2009 season. Alan Irvine's side were third in mid September but then lost four on the bounce and six out of seven to drop down to 15^th by mid October. They have picked up somewhat though in recent weeks and have won six out of their last nine matches- most notably against Barnsley and Birmingham to move up to seventh. They claimed a 2-0 home win over Derby yesterday courtesy of goals from Sean St Ledger and ex Barnsley man Jon Parkin.

Barnsley could jump into the top half for the first time this season with victory over Preston. Back to back wins over Plymouth and Burnley have moved The Reds 10 points clear of the relegation zone and set sights on the higher end of the table.

A win for Barnsley could lift them as high as 11^th, whilst a win for Preston could lift them as high as 4^th.

Barnsley:

26/12/08 Burnley 1-2 Barnsley (Championship)

20/12/08 Barnsley 2-0 Plymouth (Championship)

13/12/08 Wolves 2-0 Barnsley (Championship)

9/12/08 Swansea 2-2 Barnsley (Championship)

6/12/08 Barnsley 0-1 Reading (Championship)

29/11/08 Nottingham Forest 1-0 Barnsley (Championship)

W:2 D:1 L:3 F:6 A:7 GD:-1 Points:7

Preston:

26/12/08 Preston 2-0 Derby (Championship)

20/12/08 QPR 3-2 Preston (Championship)

13/12/08 Preston 1-0 Birmingham (Championship)

9/12/08 Preston 1-0 Doncaster (Championship)

6/12/08 Cardiff 2-0 Preston (Championship)

29/11/08 Preston 2-0 Bristol City (Championship)

W:4 D:0 L:2 F:8 A:5 GD:+3 Points:12

Barnsley lie 15th in the Coca-Cola Championship with 31 points from 25 games.

Preston lie 7th in the Coca-Cola Championship with 40 points from 25 games

Mad Sites:

Sunday 28^th December 2008

Birmingham v Swansea, 15:00

Bristol City v Crystal Palace, 15:00

Cardiff v Plymouth, 15:00

Coventry v Sheff Wed, 15:00

Derby v Ipswich, 15:00

Doncaster v Burnley, 15:00

Norwich v Nottm Forest, 15:00

QPR v Watford, 15:00

Sheff Utd v Charlton, 15:00

Southampton v Reading, 15:00

Monday, 29 December 2008

Blackpool v Wolverhampton, 19:45