Follow live coverage as Preston North End face Birmingham City in the Championship today.
An increasingly competitive second tier in English football remains an intense and exciting competition, with the prize of a place in the Premier League on offer at the end of the season.
Relegation from the top flight last term means Leicester City, Ipswich Town and Southampton are all back in the second tier this term and will be expected to push for play-off spots again at least, but so too will newly-promoted Birmingham City and Wrexham, with a host of hopefuls eyeing up the £200m jackpot that comes with promotion to the top flight. At the other end of the table, Sheffield Wednesday and Hull City hope to stay up amid crises.
Follow updates from today’s game in the live blog below.
Preston North End FC 0 - 1 Birmingham City FC
Preston North End vs Birmingham City
21:44Match ends, Preston North End 0, Birmingham City 1.
Preston North End vs Birmingham City
21:44Second Half ends, Preston North End 0, Birmingham City 1.
Preston North End vs Birmingham City
21:44Thierry Small (Preston North End) is shown the yellow card.
Preston North End vs Birmingham City
21:44Paik Seung-Ho (Birmingham City) is shown the yellow card.
Preston North End vs Birmingham City
21:44Delay over. They are ready to continue.
Preston North End vs Birmingham City
21:44Delay in match because of an injury James Beadle (Birmingham City).
Preston North End vs Birmingham City
21:44Fourth official has announced 5 minutes of added time.
Preston North End vs Birmingham City
21:44Foul by Odeluga Offiah (Preston North End).
Preston North End vs Birmingham City
21:43Attempt saved. Milutin Osmajic (Preston North End) header from very close range is saved in the centre of the goal by James Beadle (Birmingham City). Assisted by Lewis Gibson with a cross.
Preston North End vs Birmingham City
21:38Attempt missed. Tomoki Iwata (Birmingham City) left footed shot from outside the box is just a bit too high.
Preston North End vs Birmingham City
21:34Foul by Lewis Dobbin (Preston North End).
Preston North End vs Birmingham City
21:33Attempt missed. Michael Smith (Preston North End) right footed shot from outside the box is high and wide to the left.
Preston North End vs Birmingham City
21:33Attempt saved. Lewis Dobbin (Preston North End) right footed shot from the centre of the box is saved in the bottom right corner by James Beadle (Birmingham City). Assisted by Daniel Iversen.
Preston North End vs Birmingham City
21:31Substitution, Birmingham City. Alfons Sampsted replaces Jay Stansfield.
Preston North End vs Birmingham City
21:29Attempt saved. Michael Smith (Preston North End) right footed shot from the centre of the box is saved in the centre of the goal by James Beadle (Birmingham City).
Preston North End vs Birmingham City
21:29Substitution, Preston North End. Lewis Dobbin replaces Andrew Hughes.
Preston North End vs Birmingham City
21:29Michael Smith (Preston North End) wins a free kick on the left wing.
Preston North End vs Birmingham City
21:26Corner, Preston North End. Conceded by Phil Neumann.
Preston North End vs Birmingham City
21:24Corner, Preston North End. Conceded by Tomoki Iwata.
Preston North End vs Birmingham City
21:29Attempt blocked. Thierry Small (Preston North End) left footed shot from the left side of the box is blocked. Assisted by Andrew Hughes.
Preston North End vs Birmingham City
21:23Attempt missed. Demarai Gray (Birmingham City) right footed shot from the centre of the box is close, but misses to the left. Assisted by Jay Stansfield.
Preston North End vs Birmingham City
21:21Attempt missed. Michael Smith (Preston North End) header from a difficult angle on the right is close, but misses to the right. Assisted by Benjamin Whiteman with a cross following a corner.
Preston North End vs Birmingham City
21:21Corner, Preston North End. Conceded by Alex Cochrane.
Preston North End vs Birmingham City
21:20Attempt missed. Michael Smith (Preston North End) header from the centre of the box misses to the right. Assisted by Thierry Small with a cross.
Preston North End vs Birmingham City
21:18Corner, Preston North End. Conceded by Eiran Cashin.
Preston North End vs Birmingham City
21:17Substitution, Preston North End. Milutin Osmajic replaces Daniel Jebbison.
Preston North End vs Birmingham City
21:17Substitution, Birmingham City. Lyndon Dykes replaces Tommy Doyle.
Preston North End vs Birmingham City
21:17Substitution, Birmingham City. Eiran Cashin replaces Keshi Anderson.
Preston North End vs Birmingham City
21:17Corner, Preston North End. Conceded by Marc Leonard.
Preston North End vs Birmingham City
21:16Attempt blocked. Daniel Jebbison (Preston North End) left footed shot from the right side of the box is blocked. Assisted by Alfie Devine.
Preston North End vs Birmingham City
21:14Attempt blocked. Alfie Devine (Preston North End) right footed shot from the centre of the box is blocked. Assisted by Thierry Small.
Preston North End vs Birmingham City
21:14Harrison Armstrong (Preston North End) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Preston North End vs Birmingham City
21:10Foul by Alfie Devine (Preston North End).
Preston North End vs Birmingham City
21:10Substitution, Preston North End. Alfie Devine replaces Andrija Vukcevic.
Preston North End vs Birmingham City
21:09Substitution, Preston North End. Thierry Small replaces Ali McCann.
Preston North End vs Birmingham City
21:09Marc Leonard (Birmingham City) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.
Preston North End vs Birmingham City
21:09Daniel Jebbison (Preston North End) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Preston North End vs Birmingham City
21:08Tomoki Iwata (Birmingham City) hits the left post with a header from the right side of the six yard box. Assisted by Alex Cochrane with a cross following a corner.
Preston North End vs Birmingham City
21:08Corner, Birmingham City. Conceded by Andrew Hughes.
Preston North End vs Birmingham City
21:08Attempt missed. Jay Stansfield (Birmingham City) right footed shot from outside the box is too high. Assisted by Keshi Anderson.
Preston North End vs Birmingham City
21:07Attempt saved. Daniel Jebbison (Preston North End) header from the centre of the box is saved in the top centre of the goal by James Beadle (Birmingham City). Assisted by Benjamin Whiteman with a cross.
Preston North End vs Birmingham City
21:07Tomoki Iwata (Birmingham City) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.
Preston North End vs Birmingham City
21:07Harrison Armstrong (Preston North End) wins a free kick on the left wing.
Preston North End vs Birmingham City
21:07Attempt missed. Keshi Anderson (Birmingham City) header from the centre of the box is high and wide to the right. Assisted by Paik Seung-Ho with a cross.
Preston North End vs Birmingham City
21:07Offside, Preston North End. Daniel Jebbison is caught offside.
Preston North End vs Birmingham City
21:07Ali McCann (Preston North End) wins a free kick on the right wing.
Preston North End vs Birmingham City
21:05Substitution, Birmingham City. Demarai Gray replaces Lewis Koumas.
Preston North End vs Birmingham City
21:01Substitution, Birmingham City. Marc Leonard replaces Bright Osayi-Samuel.
Preston North End vs Birmingham City
21:01Foul by Phil Neumann (Birmingham City).
Preston North End vs Birmingham City
20:51Second Half begins Preston North End 0, Birmingham City 1.
Preston North End vs Birmingham City
20:40First Half ends, Preston North End 0, Birmingham City 1.
Preston North End vs Birmingham City
20:40Harrison Armstrong (Preston North End) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Preston North End vs Birmingham City
20:39Corner, Preston North End. Conceded by Alex Cochrane.
Preston North End vs Birmingham City
20:37Attempt blocked. Benjamin Whiteman (Preston North End) right footed shot from outside the box is blocked.
Preston North End vs Birmingham City
20:35Fourth official has announced 4 minutes of added time.
Preston North End vs Birmingham City
20:33Handball by Lewis Koumas (Birmingham City).
Preston North End vs Birmingham City
20:30Delay over. They are ready to continue.
Preston North End vs Birmingham City
20:30Delay in match because of an injury Christoph Klarer (Birmingham City).
Preston North End vs Birmingham City
20:30Corner, Preston North End. Conceded by James Beadle.
Preston North End vs Birmingham City
20:30Attempt saved. Benjamin Whiteman (Preston North End) right footed shot from long range on the right is saved in the bottom right corner by James Beadle (Birmingham City).
Preston North End vs Birmingham City
20:29Ali McCann (Preston North End) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
Preston North End vs Birmingham City
20:28Attempt saved. Jordan Storey (Preston North End) header from the centre of the box is saved in the bottom left corner by James Beadle (Birmingham City). Assisted by Benjamin Whiteman with a cross.
Preston North End vs Birmingham City
20:26Harrison Armstrong (Preston North End) wins a free kick on the right wing.
Preston North End vs Birmingham City
20:24Corner, Preston North End. Conceded by Bright Osayi-Samuel.
Preston North End vs Birmingham City
20:23Attempt missed. Michael Smith (Preston North End) right footed shot from the right side of the box is close, but misses to the right. Assisted by Daniel Iversen.
Preston North End vs Birmingham City
20:21Handball by Bright Osayi-Samuel (Birmingham City).
Preston North End vs Birmingham City
20:20Attempt blocked. Lewis Koumas (Birmingham City) left footed shot from the centre of the box is blocked. Assisted by Jay Stansfield.
Preston North End vs Birmingham City
20:18Goal! Preston North End 0, Birmingham City 1. Phil Neumann (Birmingham City) header from the centre of the box to the bottom left corner. Assisted by Alex Cochrane with a cross following a set piece situation.
Preston North End vs Birmingham City
20:18Foul by Odeluga Offiah (Preston North End).
Preston North End vs Birmingham City
20:18Attempt missed. Daniel Jebbison (Preston North End) header from the centre of the box misses to the right. Assisted by Andrija Vukcevic.
Preston North End vs Birmingham City
20:15Offside, Preston North End. Daniel Jebbison is caught offside.
Preston North End vs Birmingham City
20:14Foul by Andrew Hughes (Preston North End).
Preston North End vs Birmingham City
20:14Jordan Storey (Preston North End) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Preston North End vs Birmingham City
20:12Foul by Christoph Klarer (Birmingham City).
Preston North End vs Birmingham City
20:12Delay over. They are ready to continue.
Preston North End vs Birmingham City
20:12Delay in match because of an injury Bright Osayi-Samuel (Birmingham City).
Preston North End vs Birmingham City
20:09Attempt missed. Ali McCann (Preston North End) header from very close range is high and wide to the left. Assisted by Jordan Storey with a cross.
Preston North End vs Birmingham City
20:06Attempt blocked. Jay Stansfield (Birmingham City) right footed shot from the centre of the box is blocked.
Preston North End vs Birmingham City
20:06Corner, Birmingham City. Conceded by Odeluga Offiah.
Preston North End vs Birmingham City
20:06Attempt missed. Daniel Jebbison (Preston North End) right footed shot from outside the box misses to the right. Assisted by Odeluga Offiah with a headed pass.
Preston North End vs Birmingham City
20:06Offside, Birmingham City. Keshi Anderson is caught offside.
Preston North End vs Birmingham City
20:38James Beadle (Birmingham City) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Preston North End vs Birmingham City
20:06Attempt missed. Michael Smith (Preston North End) header from the left side of the six yard box is close, but misses to the right. Assisted by Benjamin Whiteman following a corner.
Preston North End vs Birmingham City
20:05Corner, Preston North End. Conceded by James Beadle.
Preston North End vs Birmingham City
20:01Attempt blocked. Tomoki Iwata (Birmingham City) right footed shot from outside the box is blocked. Assisted by Jay Stansfield.
Preston North End vs Birmingham City
19:57Bright Osayi-Samuel (Birmingham City) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.
Preston North End vs Birmingham City
19:57Foul by Bright Osayi-Samuel (Birmingham City).
Preston North End vs Birmingham City
19:56Corner, Birmingham City. Conceded by Lewis Gibson.
Preston North End vs Birmingham City
19:55Michael Smith (Preston North End) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.
Preston North End vs Birmingham City
19:55Phil Neumann (Birmingham City) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Preston North End vs Birmingham City
19:54Keshi Anderson (Birmingham City) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Preston North End vs Birmingham City
19:46First Half begins.
Preston North End vs Birmingham City
19:15Lineups are announced and players are warming up.
Preston North End vs Birmingham City
17:45Follow live football coverage with The Independent today.
We will have all the latest scores, goals and updates plus analysis and reaction throughout the game here. This season we're bringing you live coverage from every match in the Premier League, WSL, Championship, Carabao Cup and FA Cup from the third round onwards - as well as the best from the Champions League and beyond in Europe.
