Lancashire

Portsmouth have lost their past two games and saw their seven-game unbeaten run at Fratton Park ended by Millwall on Tuesday night.

Pompey welcome promotion-chasing Burnley on Saturday afternoon, who are one point off the top two and unbeaten in their past 16 games (W9 D7).

• After remaining unbeaten across their ten league games against Burnley between 1995 and 2010, Portsmouth have since won just one of their past five against the Clarets (D1 L3).

• Burnley have won their past two away league games against Portsmouth and will be looking to win three in succession at Fratton Park for the first time.

• Portsmouth have won each of their past four home league matches and will be looking to win five in a row in the second tier for the first time since February/March 2003 (5).

• Burnley are unbeaten across their past eight away league games (W6 D2), keeping seven clean sheets in the process. The Clarets last enjoyed a longer undefeated run on the road between December 2022 and September 2023 (14 games) during which they were promoted to the Premier League.

• Josh Brownhill has netted nine goals for Burnley in the Championship this season, already his most in a single league campaign in English football. Indeed, his five away goals are also his most in a league season to date.

Preston make the 10-mile trip east to Blackburn for an intriguing Lancashire derby on Friday night (20:00 GMT).

Rovers have dropped out of the play-off places to lie seventh, and though they remain eight places ahead of North End, they only have five points more.

• Blackburn have failed to win any of their past five league games against Preston (D3 L2), with both losses during that time coming at Ewood Park.

• Preston have lost just one of their past eight away league games against Blackburn (W5 D2), failing to score in just one of those matches.

• Rovers have lost each of their past three league games, last enduring a longer losing run in December 2023 (four games).

• After beating Watford and Middlesbrough both 2-1 in their past two league games, Preston will be looking to win three Championship matches in succession for the first time since February 2024.

• Altogether, 17 different players have scored for Blackburn in the Championship this season; the joint-most for any team in the division (excluding own goals), along with Hull City.

Burnley are keen on 22-year-old NEC Nijmegen winger Sontje Hansen for a fee of around £3.5m. (Sky Sports), external

Middlesbrough's move for former Leeds midfielder Glen Kamara could be off, with the Finland international, who has also been linked with Sunderland and Burnley, now reportedly ready to move to Saudi side Al Shabab. (Northern Echo, external)

Want more transfer stories? Read Thursday's full gossip column.

Tom Sandells
BBC Radio Lancashire

Although Preston North End's season looked to be over before it started as their early campaign descended into turmoil after just one game, they curiously seem to be able to reset their campaign completely and light a fire of optimism with their upcoming game on Friday night.

They travel to Ewood Park to play Blackburn Rovers and the start to the season for the Lancashire rivals could not have been more different.

North End's manager ended last season "unacceptably" according to chairman Craig Hemmings and so Ryan Lowe walked out one game and one defeat into the 2024-25 season.

Rovers had their boss in place last season and while they did not set the world alight, they were steady and reaped the rewards of their stability as they made a fast start to the campaign.

Blackburn started the Championship eight unbeaten while Preston won only two of their opening eight matches.

And while North End were going nine games without a win from October, Blackburn during that same time period won six in a row.

However, a win for the Lilywhites on Friday would put them just two points behind Rovers and they will head to East Lancashire backed by more than 5,000 supporters.

They also go there off the back of two fine wins against play-off chasers Watford and Middlesbrough and looked good value for the points in both contests.

Since Boxing Day, only two teams in the division have taken more points than Preston and one of them tops the table.

On the other hand, only three teams have taken fewer points than Blackburn.

Friday's Lancashire Derby is set up to be a potential catalyst for Paul Heckingbottom's side, especially if it brings Blackburn into range.

The Yorkshireman has now had time to settle into his role at the helm and has shown the attacking intent and positivity in the football he wants from his side.

A win to start the weekend and it is game on coming into the turn, post January window.

PNE have made efforts to improve their squad too, with Lewis Gibson and Jayden Meghoma joining on permanent and loan deals respectively.

Both have hit the ground running and with captain Ben Whiteman ruled out for around eight weeks with an ankle injury, Heckingbottom has hinted at potentially doing more January business to bolster their options.

There are positive signs for the North End faithful and with one defeat in their past eight when travelling to Ewood they have every reason to be confident of securing more bragging rights.