Follow live coverage as Preston North End face Swansea 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 2 - 1 Swansea City AFC
Preston North End vs Swansea City
21:39Match ends, Preston North End 2, Swansea City 1.
Preston North End vs Swansea City
21:38Second Half ends, Preston North End 2, Swansea City 1.
Preston North End vs Swansea City
21:37Attempt saved. Milutin Osmajic (Preston North End) right footed shot from outside the box is saved in the bottom right corner by Lawrence Vigouroux (Swansea City).
Preston North End vs Swansea City
21:36Ishé Samuels-Smith (Swansea City) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.
Preston North End vs Swansea City
21:36Foul by Ishé Samuels-Smith (Swansea City).
Preston North End vs Swansea City
21:36Attempt blocked. Zan Vipotnik (Swansea City) left footed shot from outside the box is blocked. Assisted by Ben Cabango.
Preston North End vs Swansea City
21:35Fourth official has announced 4 minutes of added time.
Preston North End vs Swansea City
21:32Corner, Preston North End. Conceded by Ethan Galbraith.
Preston North End vs Swansea City
21:31Attempt missed. Cameron Burgess (Swansea City) header from the centre of the box is too high. Assisted by Eom Ji-Sung with a cross following a corner.
Preston North End vs Swansea City
21:30Corner, Swansea City. Conceded by Andrew Hughes.
Preston North End vs Swansea City
21:25Zan Vipotnik (Swansea City) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Preston North End vs Swansea City
21:26Andrew Hughes (Preston North End) is shown the yellow card.
Preston North End vs Swansea City
21:24Goal! Preston North End 2, Swansea City 1. Eom Ji-Sung (Swansea City) right footed shot from outside the box to the bottom right corner. Assisted by Ishé Samuels-Smith.
Preston North End vs Swansea City
21:23Cameron Burgess (Swansea City) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Preston North End vs Swansea City
21:21Substitution, Swansea City. Manuel Benson replaces Liam Cullen.
Preston North End vs Swansea City
21:21Substitution, Swansea City. Eom Ji-Sung replaces Gonçalo Franco.
Preston North End vs Swansea City
21:20Ben Cabango (Swansea City) wins a free kick on the right wing.
Preston North End vs Swansea City
21:18Corner, Swansea City. Conceded by Benjamin Whiteman.
Preston North End vs Swansea City
21:18Attempt blocked. Cameron Burgess (Swansea City) right footed shot from the centre of the box is blocked. Assisted by Ethan Galbraith with a cross.
Preston North End vs Swansea City
21:18Corner, Swansea City. Conceded by Jamal Lewis.
Preston North End vs Swansea City
21:18Attempt blocked. Ronald (Swansea City) right footed shot from outside the box is blocked. Assisted by Zan Vipotnik.
Preston North End vs Swansea City
21:14Attempt saved. Ronald (Swansea City) left footed shot from outside the box is saved in the bottom right corner by Daniel Iversen (Preston North End). Assisted by Gonçalo Franco.
Preston North End vs Swansea City
21:13Attempt missed. Adam Idah (Swansea City) header from the left side of the six yard box is high and wide to the right. Assisted by Ethan Galbraith with a cross following a set piece situation.
Preston North End vs Swansea City
21:13Substitution, Swansea City. Ishé Samuels-Smith replaces Kaelan Casey.
Preston North End vs Swansea City
21:13Substitution, Preston North End. Jamal Lewis replaces Thierry Small.
Preston North End vs Swansea City
21:12Substitution, Preston North End. Michael Smith replaces Alfie Devine.
Preston North End vs Swansea City
21:12Ronald (Swansea City) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
Preston North End vs Swansea City
21:12Ethan Galbraith (Swansea City) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
Preston North End vs Swansea City
21:09Gonçalo Franco (Swansea City) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Preston North End vs Swansea City
21:06Corner, Swansea City. Conceded by Alfie Devine.
Preston North End vs Swansea City
21:05Thierry Small (Preston North End) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.
Preston North End vs Swansea City
21:04Gonçalo Franco (Swansea City) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Preston North End vs Swansea City
21:03Substitution, Swansea City. Zan Vipotnik replaces Melker Widell.
Preston North End vs Swansea City
21:03Substitution, Swansea City. Ronald replaces Joshua Key.
Preston North End vs Swansea City
21:01Ben Cabango (Swansea City) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Preston North End vs Swansea City
20:59Corner, Preston North End. Conceded by Kaelan Casey.
Preston North End vs Swansea City
20:59Offside, Swansea City. Adam Idah is caught offside.
Preston North End vs Swansea City
20:59Substitution, Preston North End. Mads Frökjaer-Jensen replaces Lewis Dobbin.
Preston North End vs Swansea City
20:57Substitution, Preston North End. Stefán Thórdarson replaces Harrison Armstrong.
Preston North End vs Swansea City
20:59Attempt blocked. Liam Cullen (Swansea City) left footed shot from the centre of the box is blocked.
Preston North End vs Swansea City
20:55Corner, Swansea City. Conceded by Benjamin Whiteman.
Preston North End vs Swansea City
20:56Attempt blocked. Melker Widell (Swansea City) right footed shot from outside the box is blocked. Assisted by Josh Tymon.
Preston North End vs Swansea City
20:55Corner, Swansea City. Conceded by Daniel Iversen.
Preston North End vs Swansea City
20:55Attempt saved. Cameron Burgess (Swansea City) left footed shot from outside the box is saved in the top left corner by Daniel Iversen (Preston North End).
Preston North End vs Swansea City
20:53Goal! Preston North End 2, Swansea City 0. Milutin Osmajic (Preston North End) right footed shot from the centre of the box to the centre of the goal. Assisted by Harrison Armstrong following a fast break.
Preston North End vs Swansea City
20:54Attempt blocked. Melker Widell (Swansea City) right footed shot from the left side of the box is blocked. Assisted by Josh Tymon.
Preston North End vs Swansea City
20:53Attempt blocked. Adam Idah (Swansea City) right footed shot from outside the box is blocked.
Preston North End vs Swansea City
20:52Benjamin Whiteman (Preston North End) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.
Preston North End vs Swansea City
20:51Foul by Benjamin Whiteman (Preston North End).
Preston North End vs Swansea City
20:49Second Half begins Preston North End 1, Swansea City 0.
Preston North End vs Swansea City
20:34First Half ends, Preston North End 1, Swansea City 0.
Preston North End vs Swansea City
20:33Foul by Liam Cullen (Swansea City).
Preston North End vs Swansea City
20:33Fourth official has announced 2 minutes of added time.
Preston North End vs Swansea City
20:26Attempt blocked. Alfie Devine (Preston North End) right footed shot from the right side of the box is blocked.
Preston North End vs Swansea City
20:23Handball by Gonçalo Franco (Swansea City).
Preston North End vs Swansea City
20:25Attempt saved. Liam Cullen (Swansea City) left footed shot from the left side of the box is saved in the centre of the goal by Daniel Iversen (Preston North End).
Preston North End vs Swansea City
20:22Attempt missed. Adam Idah (Swansea City) right footed shot from outside the box is close, but misses to the left. Assisted by Ethan Galbraith.
Preston North End vs Swansea City
20:20Attempt missed. Ethan Galbraith (Swansea City) right footed shot from outside the box misses to the right. Assisted by Josh Tymon with a cross following a corner.
Preston North End vs Swansea City
20:20Corner, Swansea City. Conceded by Daniel Iversen.
Preston North End vs Swansea City
20:18Melker Widell (Swansea City) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Preston North End vs Swansea City
20:16Delay over. They are ready to continue.
Preston North End vs Swansea City
20:16Delay in match because of an injury Liam Cullen (Swansea City).
Preston North End vs Swansea City
20:16Attempt saved. Liam Cullen (Swansea City) left footed shot from the centre of the box is saved in the centre of the goal by Daniel Iversen (Preston North End). Assisted by Adam Idah.
Preston North End vs Swansea City
20:12Corner, Swansea City. Conceded by Daniel Iversen.
Preston North End vs Swansea City
20:08Offside, Preston North End. Milutin Osmajic is caught offside.
Preston North End vs Swansea City
20:07Ethan Galbraith (Swansea City) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Preston North End vs Swansea City
20:03Attempt blocked. Joshua Key (Swansea City) header from the centre of the box is blocked.
Preston North End vs Swansea City
20:03Attempt blocked. Ethan Galbraith (Swansea City) right footed shot from outside the box is blocked. Assisted by Adam Idah.
Preston North End vs Swansea City
19:57Foul by Andrew Hughes (Preston North End).
Preston North End vs Swansea City
19:55Goal! Preston North End 1, Swansea City 0. Thierry Small (Preston North End) left footed shot from outside the box to the top right corner.
Preston North End vs Swansea City
19:53Alfie Devine (Preston North End) wins a free kick on the right wing.
Preston North End vs Swansea City
19:51Lewis Dobbin (Preston North End) wins a free kick on the right wing.
Preston North End vs Swansea City
19:50Delay over. They are ready to continue.
Preston North End vs Swansea City
19:50Delay in match (Swansea City).
Preston North End vs Swansea City
19:46First Half begins.
Preston North End vs Swansea City
19:15Lineups are announced and players are warming up.
Preston North End vs Swansea 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.
