Stoke's new back three has brought more control, but its recent attacks have produced few clean shots. Preston can reach the box from little possession, yet its recent away chances have been sparse. Wide delivery and restarts look like the likeliest sources of a decisive finish in this match.
Stoke's wingbacks can stretch Preston's outside defenders, and Galbraith's dead-ball delivery has already found Graham. The volume has seldom become repeated clean chances: Stoke's recent low-output run included a match with just one shot on target. Preston's stronger West Brom response came at home, while its last two away attacks each managed one on-target effort. Stoke's Bocat and Gallagher were already absent in the latest match and remove routes seen in older high-scoring games; Cissé left that latest match early. Preston's McCann and Clarke were also absent from its last game, with Devine's role after a calf issue still to be established. I expect long phases between the clean finishes, and I'm siding with a lower-scoring Stoke–Preston match.
