Preston North End Preview - Home, Dec 18th

TWO WINS on the bounce for the impressive Hornet's who this weekend host Darren Ferguson's Preston North End who currently sit bottom of the N.Power Championship. Three more points for the Golden Boys? Fingers-crossed.

Fergie Jnr. has had a busy start to life at Deepdale, taking over at the end of last season and immediately impressing his ideologies on the club, ridding it of a number of the older players and highest earners replacing them largely with youngsters and Manchester United loanees.

The likes of Joshua King, Matt James and Ritchie de Laet have all arrived from the Red Devils and Ferguson Snr. along with Leon Cort, Danny Pugh and Michael Tonge as Ian Hume's loane spell recently ran out. Only five of those are permitted to be in the match day squad however.

Watford Team News: Scottish youngster Stephen McGinn is the only Hornet currently sidlined after fracturing his cheekbone against QPR on Monday night.

Will Buckley seems the most likely candidate to come into midfielder with Troy Deeney stepping up from the bench. Forgotten midfielder Ross Jenkins is another option if Mackay wants to keep Buckley behind Danny Graham.

Likely Line-up: Loach; Doyley, Mariappa, M.Taylor, A.Taylor; Eustace (c); Cowie, Mutch, Buckley; Deeney and Graham.

Home Form: Watford 1-1 Nottingham Forest, Watford 1-1 Reading and Watford 3-2 Leicester City.

Head2Head Form:

atford 2-1 PNE, PNE 2-0 Watford (08/09); Watford 2-0 PNE and PNE 1-1 Watford (09/10)

Preston North End Team News: Ferguson will be without the services of energetic striker and dangerman Ian Hume after his loan spell ran out but Joshua King, Matt James and Paul Coutts are all back from injury.

Winger Danny Mayor is a doubt.

Line-up Vs. Ipswich Town: Lonergan; Jones, Brown, Cort, De Laet; Barton, Tonge, Russell, Pugh; Parkin and Hume.

Ex-Hornets: Wayne Brown spent two years with the Golden Boys having initially joined on loan. Primarily used as a left-back Brown now operates at centre-half mainly. Sparked controversy and ended his time as Leicester by admitting that he voted for the BNP in the last general election. B

Brown left Vicarage Road permanently in 2004 for Colchester United where he spent three successful years before joining Hull, Leicester then Preston.

Key Player: Michael Tonge: Tricky winger-cum-central midfielder never settled at Stoke having joined from Sheffield United two years ago. Spent part of last season on loan at Derby and impressed. A one-time England U21 cap.

Away Form: Bristol City 1-1 PNE, QPR 3-1 PNE and Cardiff City 1-1 PNE.

Click here to join in the debate on the club forum.