Preston vs Burnley Predictions

Preston North End vs Burnley predictions ahead of this FA Cup tie. Preston face Burnley in the FA Cup fifth round on Saturday, with Burnley aiming to extend their impressive 24-game unbeaten run. Read on for our match preview and free betting tips.

FA Cup | Fifth Round | Mar 1, 2025 at 12.15pm UK at Deepdale

Preston vs Burnley Predictions

Can Preston Halt Burnley’s Relentless Unbeaten Run in This FA Cup Derby?

• Burnley’s Defensive Perfection
  • The Clarets have not conceded a single goal in nine consecutive matches, highlighting their exceptional organisation at the back.
• Preston’s Home Resilience
  • North End are unbeaten in their last 12 home matches, but they have struggled to convert those performances into wins.
• Head-to-Head Stalemates
  • The two Championship meetings between these sides this season both ended 0-0, but Burnley’s superior form suggests they can break that pattern this time.

Best Bet for Preston vs Burnley

Lancashire football takes centre stage on Saturday as Preston North End and Burnley lock horns in the FA Cup fifth round at Deepdale. It’s a tie that pits a side struggling for consistency against one that simply refuses to lose. Burnley’s astonishing 23-match unbeaten streak has them pushing hard for automatic promotion in the Championship, while their defensive resilience—nine consecutive clean sheets—makes them an intimidating prospect.

For Preston, the challenge is enormous. They have battled through the early rounds, overcoming Charlton and Wycombe, but their form in recent weeks has been shaky. With no wins in their last three outings, and a growing injury list, they could not have asked for a more daunting test. However, they do boast a strong home record, going unbeaten in their last 12 matches at Deepdale across all competitions. That alone might offer some hope.

Burnley, on the other hand, have been ruthless in the cup, dispatching Reading and Premier League strugglers Southampton. The fact that these two sides played out two goalless draws in the Championship this season adds an interesting layer of intrigue to this cup meeting. Will Burnley finally find a way through, or can Preston frustrate them again?

Best Bet: Burnley to Win

At BettingTips4You, we cut through the noise and focus on a single, well-researched selection for each match. After careful analysis, the standout bet for this Lancashire derby is Burnley to win.

There’s simply too much evidence pointing towards a Clarets victory. Scott Parker’s side have been almost untouchable for months, with their 23-game unbeaten run underlining their dominance. More impressively, they have gone nine consecutive matches without conceding a goal. That level of defensive discipline is rare in any division, let alone in the unpredictable Championship. Burnley are not just shutting teams out—they are grinding out results with an efficiency that suggests they have one foot in the Premier League already.

Preston, by contrast, are a side struggling to maintain momentum. They have failed to win in their last three outings, and while their home form has been respectable, they haven’t faced a side as relentless as Burnley in recent weeks. Their defensive numbers at Deepdale are decent—no side has scored more than once against them in their last 12 home games—but they will need more than just resilience to overcome a Burnley side that seems incapable of losing.

Another key factor is squad depth. Burnley have dealt with injuries in recent weeks but continue to find solutions. The same cannot be said for Preston, who are missing several key players. The absences of Duane Holmes, Jordan Storey, Jack Whatmough, and Ben Whiteman limit their ability to rotate and could leave them vulnerable against a Burnley team that thrives on high-intensity football.

While both league meetings between these sides ended 0-0, cup football has a different energy. Burnley have already shown they can handle top-flight opposition, knocking out Southampton in the previous round. Preston, on the other hand, have not faced an opponent of Burnley’s calibre in this competition. The gulf in quality should become evident over 90 minutes.

Our BettingTips4You expert Herrin Kendrick puts it bluntly:

“Burnley are simply too good to back against right now. Their defensive record is outrageous, their unbeaten run speaks for itself, and Preston’s recent form does little to suggest they can stop the Clarets’ charge towards the quarter-finals.”

Predicted Scoreline: Preston 0-1 Burnley

Burnley’s defensive excellence suggests another shutout is likely, while Preston’s struggles in attack make it difficult to see them troubling the visitors. The Clarets may not blow their opponents away, but a professional 1-0 victory looks like the most probable outcome.

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