Town defender Darnell Furlong has warned Preston North End will be their most dangerous ahead of the Blues’ meeting with the Lilywhites at Portman Road this Saturday.

Paul Heckingbottom’s side travel to Suffolk out of form having lost their last four matches in all competitions without scoring, a run that leaves the Lancastrians one point outside the play-off places.

By contrast, the Town’s record has been the best in the division since November, particularly at home where they have won their last seven matches on the spin at Portman Road.

Furlong says Preston’s recent results following an impressive start to the campaign is indicative of the quick turnaround that can happen in the Championship.

“That is the league, it is hard,” he said. “If you’re not at it for three games, you can lose three games and the same could happen to any team. We’re fully aware of the quality that they have.

“It wasn’t the one game that they were up there for, it was a while that they were doing well so we’re fully aware of their quality.

“After three losses [in the league], the team is at its most dangerous spot because they’re looking to bounce back. We’ll just make sure we’re ready for it.”

Back in the reverse meeting, Town fell to their first defeat of the campaign when Milutin Osmajić’s early penalty decided what was ultimately a frustrating afternoon at Deepdale.

While Furlong had not yet been signed by the Blues at that point, the full-back says his teammates are determined to avenge their disappointment from that August afternoon this weekend.

“I’m sure they are,” the 30-year-old said. “We haven’t spoken about it too much in depth, we’ve looked at little bits of the game and looked at things we can do better and things that we did positively in that game.

“I still think the boys done some great stuff in that game from what I’ve seen. It will be good to get out there again.”

Town had enjoyed a perfect start to 2026 up until last Saturday’s 3-1 defeat to Sheffield United that ended a five-match winning streak in league and cup.

The atmosphere on and off the pitch at Bramall Lane was a scrappy one, and Furlong reflected on where it went wrong for the Blues.

He said: “It happens in this league. There’s so many good teams, if you’re not right at it every game then you can get punished and that’s what happened.

“We’ve taken the positives from it and looked at the things we need to correct and make better. We’ve moved on from it and we can’t wait to get back out there tomorrow.

“There’s a lot of emotion in games and a lot of frustration. We’ve got to stick to what we’re doing on the pitch, keep trying to play well and try and avoid that if we can, but it does happen.

“They can shout, boo and do whatever they want. You get used to it, it’s not anything new, it’s just one of them things. We were very focused on trying to get back into the game and get something out of the game. We’re fully focused and you don’t really notice it.”

Last weekend did provide an opportunity to see new signing Anis Mehmeti on the field for the first time since his arrival from Championship rivals Bristol City.

Mehmeti is in line for his home debut against Preston, while midfielder Dan Neil is set for a first appearance since joining the Blues on loan from Sunderland on Tuesday.

Discussing how the pair have settled, Furlong said: “Really well from what I’ve seen. I only know too well about settling into this group — it’s a great club, a great set of staff and a great set of players. Everyone makes you feel really welcome as I’ve experienced and I’m sure they feel the same.

“It’s a case of building blocks. When you first come in, you might be unsure of certain things and you’re quickly trying to grasp it and learn it.

“I’m loving being here, I’m loving taking new things onboard and playing in a team with such talent that we’ve got.

“We’ve just added to that as well, which is brilliant. I just can’t wait to get back out there on Saturday, especially after a loss.”

On Mehmeti specifically, Furlong added: “I’ve always known he’s a great player. I’ve played against him a lot of times, we’ve had many a wars before he joined.

“A great player, great feet, great technical ability and can see a pass. It’s great to have him in the squad and be playing with him.”

Town are currently third in the Championship table but the gap above them has grown to five points behind second-placed Middlesbrough, albeit with a game in hand on the Teessiders.

“I haven’t really looked at it too much, to be honest,” Furlong said on the standings. “It sounds cliché and people say it all the time, but you do just take one game at a time, especially over the busy Christmas period.

“I don’t know everything about the league and where other teams are. It’s just a case of preparing for who is in front of us, going out there and trying to beat them.

“We don’t think too much about the spot we’re in. We’re not silly, we know where we are in the league, but it’s not a case of confidence towards the play-offs or automatic positions, it’s just the confidence that we build on each game.

“The loss hasn’t affected that. We weren’t happy, we were gutted after the game and we were very disappointed, but it doesn’t dent the confidence and the belief in the squad.”

Photo: TWTD