Two sides sitting just outside the Championship's relegation zone meet at Deepdale this week as Preston North End host Nottingham Forest.

The two sides sit 17th and 18th in the table respectively, with just a point separating them ahead of Tuesday's meeting.

Preston North End

Despite Preston sitting just three points clear of the relegation zone, Simon Grayson's side have seen their form improve in recent weeks, having not lost in their last four outings in the league.

The team have kept clean sheets in their last four fixtures, which have included three goalless draws, including a stalemate with Bolton Wanderers at the weekend.

Having not let in a goal in their last four matches, Preston have one of the strongest defensive records in the Championship, keeping their opponents off the scoreboard in seven of their 14 fixtures so far this season. Hull City are the only other side to have as many clean sheets.

Last season's League One playoff winners have struggled down the other end of the pitch though, scoring just 10 goals in the league so far this season – the joint-lowest total in the second tier.

Striker Joe Garner helped Preston secure promotion to the Championship last season, scoring 27 goals in 43 appearances in all competitions for the club. The 27-year-old is yet to get off the mark in 13 appearances in the 2015-16 season though.

Preston are still looking for their first win at Deepdale this season, having secured their only two wins in away matches against Charlton Athletic and MK Dons. Grayson's side have been beaten in just two of their seven home matches.

Recent form: DLDWDD

Nottingham Forest

Nottingham Forest come into this match without a win in their last seven matches in the Championship, having been beaten 1-0 by Sheffield Wednesday at Hillsborough at the weekend.

Dougie Freedman's side have not won since September, when a 1-0 win over Birmingham City gave the side their third win in their first seven matches in the Championship.

Forest's form leaves them just four points outside the relegation zone, resulting in the manager's position at the club being called into question, having been in charge at the City Ground since February.

The team's away form has been mixed, with the side securing two wins from their seven matches so far, while losing three times.

Forest have been hampered by their discipline in recent weeks, with the team picking up two red cards in the last month – only three clubs have had more than one player sent off this season. There have also been 30 bookings for the visitors, just three fewer than Middlesbrough, who have the most in the division.

Recent form: DLLDDL

Team News

The visitors have a couple of players suspended for this fixture, with David Vaughan having received his fifth booking of the season last time out, while Henri Lansbury is serving the final match of a three-game suspension for a red card.

Forest should have regular first-choice goalkeeper Dorus de Vries available again, though, after he missed the loss to Sheffield Wednesday with a back injury.

Simon Grayson is expected to have the same squad available that shared a draw with Bolton at the weekend, with Chris Humphrey, Jermaine Beckford and Paddy McCarthy all missing long term, while Tom Clarke is still struggling with a shoulder injury.

The manager has praised the pairing of Garner and Eoin Doyle up front, so the duo seem set to continue to lead the line against Forest.

Preston North End possible starting lineup:
Pickford, Vermijl, Wright, Cunningham, Browne, Gallagher, Reach, Kilkenny, Johnson, Garner, Doyle

Nottingham Forest possible starting lineup:
De Vries, Mills, Hobbs, Wilson, Pinillos, Trotter, Osborn, Burke, Oliveira, Ward, Blackstock

Head To Head

These two sides have not met in the league since 2011, but they came head to head in the FA Cup during the 2013-14 campaign, with Forest winning the replay at Deepdale 2-0.

Preston have not won in their last five matches with Forest, last beating this week's opponents in 2010 with a 3-2 home victory.

In 45 previous meetings between the two sides, Forest have secured 17 wins, while 14 have been won by Preston, and a further 14 have finished level.

We say: Preston North End 1-1 Nottingham Forest

With so little separating the two sides so far this season, it is likely that this will be a close match. Forest have had the better of Preston in their most recent meetings, but the home side are in slightly better form coming into this fixture, so a draw seems the most likely result.