BIG-MATCH FACTS
The Whites set out on the Play Off journey that could lead to a much prized place back in the Premiership, after an absence of just two seasons.
United were relegated from the top flight at the end of the 2003/04 season when they finished bottom with Leicester and Wolves.
Last season, in Kevin Blackwell's first year in charge, we ended 14th in the Championship. This season a top five finish has landed us a chance of glory.
Leeds participated in the first ever Play Offs in 1987. Again we were vying for a place back at the highest level, and defeated Oldham over two legs in the semi-finals on the away goals rule.
We then played Charlton and couldn't be separated after two legs, but lost the replay and third meeting 2-1 after extra time, following a goalless 90 minutes.
On that occasion the club finishing fourth bottom in the highest League had to compete in the Play-Offs, and Charlton duly retained their top flight status.
We have been vying for automatic promotion for much of this season, but never broke into the top two.
We were third until mid March, but slipped down the table with just one win from the last 10 League games.
The club finishing fifth has won the play-offs for a place in the top division five times - the club finishing fourth has been successful on four occasions.
Preston are aiming to go one better than last season, when they reached the Millennium Stadium, but lost to Bobby Zamora's goal for West Ham in the Championship Play Off final.
The Lilywhites finished fifth last season, but went one better this time around. This is Preston's seventh such adventure in the Play Offs and manager Billy Davies' second.
Prior to last season's disappointment in Cardiff, they beat Birmingham in the 2000/01 Division One semi-finals, but then lost 3-0 to Bolton at Wembley.
Earlier still they succumbed at the semi-final stage when in the third League level in 1988/89, and 1998/99 and as a fourth tier club in 1994/95.
They reached Wembley as Third Division (fourth level) finalists in the 1993/94 season, only to lose 4-2 to Wycombe.
North End's end-of-season form was the absolute opposite of Leeds'. They entered 2006 in 10th spot, rose to sixth, and concluded the campaign on an eight-match unbeaten run of six wins and two draws.
They kept clean sheets in both this season's League clashes with Leeds, ending goalless at Elland Road and closed out the campaign, ironically, against Leeds with a 2-0 victory on their own patch last Sunday.
Referee tonight: Phil Crossley (Kent).
THIS SEASON'S LEAGUE MEETINGS:
Leeds United 0-0 Preston North End 5 November 2005 - Ref: Andy D'Urso
Preston North End 2-0 Leeds United 30 April 2006 - Ref: Uriah Rennie
Preston scorers: Stock 38, Ormerod 77
HEAD TO HEAD TOTALS: League: Leeds 12 wins, Preston 20, Draws 8
HEAD TO HEAD at Leeds: League: Leeds 8 wins, Preston 8, Draws 4