Bolton return to the Championship for the first time since 2019 with a home game against Preston on Saturday (12:30 BST).
Steven Schumacher's men won promotion via the League One play-offs in May but began their campaign with an EFL Cup first round defeat at Sheffield Wednesday last weekend.
Paul Heckingbottom's Lilywhites overcame Huddersfield on penalties last time out but are winless in their past seven opening day fixtures, earning just three points, with their last win coming in 2018.
- Bolton Wanderers are winless in their past six league games against Preston North End (D3 L3), with this their first meeting since a 2-1 home loss in February 2019.
- Preston North End have won each of their past three away league games against Bolton Wanderers, as many as they had in their previous 19 visits to the Trotters (D4 L12).
- Bolton ranked third for expected goals (74.2) and second for expected goals against (48) in League One last season; they also scored the most goals in the final 10 minutes of matches in the third tier last term (21).
- Only Sheffield Wednesday (18) have lost more EFL Championship games in 2026 than Preston (11); the Lilywhites finished last season losing seven of their final 12 games (W3 D2).
- Only Lewis Dobbin (18) was involved in more of Preston's 55 EFL Championship goals last season than Alfie Devine (14 – 8 goals, 6 assists); four of his eight goals came following a carry, only Jack Clarke, Jaden Philogene, Joe Gelhardt and Leo Scienza had more (6).
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