Wolves go to Deepdale for Preston vs Wolves on Saturday with a point to prove after a slow start to the Championship season. They were tipped to push for a return to the Premier League after coming down, but last Friday's 2-2 draw with Blackburn, secured by an injury-time penalty, showed there is still work to do.
Preston, meanwhile, are also looking for a response after losing 2-1 at newly-promoted Bolton last weekend. That makes this an early-season test for both sides, but it feels especially important for Wolves because their opening results have not yet matched the expectations around them.
Wolves still searching for rhythm
The key positive for Wolves is Raul Jimenez. He scored against Blackburn last Friday and has a strong habit of making an impact in home league debuts for the club, having also scored against Everton in August 2018. That kind of reliability matters when a team is trying to settle quickly after a summer of expectation.
But the bigger picture is harder to ignore. Wolves have won just three league games in the last 12 months, and that kind of run puts immediate pressure on any side that was expected to challenge near the top. A trip to Deepdale is not the place to assume problems will fix themselves.
Preston's home record adds another layer
Preston have not beaten Wolves at home since March 2008, which gives the visitors another reason to believe they can leave with a result. The head-to-head history at Deepdale does not suggest an easy afternoon for the hosts, even if Wolves are also still trying to build momentum.
What makes this fixture interesting is that both teams arrive with unfinished business from the opening weekend. Preston need to put their Bolton defeat behind them, while Wolves need to turn flashes of encouragement into something more convincing.
For a side that came down from the Premier League and were expected to compete strongly at this level, the demand is simple enough: produce a performance that looks like the start of a promotion push. Deepdale will be a useful early answer.
