Gareth Ainsworth has praised Preston North End as the two teams prepare to face each other in the FA Cup third round on Saturday.

It will be the second match between the two sides in just over a month, following their 2-2 draw at Deepdale in December.

The two teams already have history in the FA Cup, as PNE’s thrashed Wanderers 5-1 at Adams Park back in 2018 at the same stage.

But that was then and this is now, as Ainsworth also praised Wycombe’s progression in just three seasons.

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Wycombe were in League Two with Luke O'Nien scoring the Chairboys’ only goal of the game in the heavy defeat - this was the same season which Wycombe achieved promotion to League One.

He said: “Preston are a very good side in the Championship and picked up some really good results.

“We gave them a really good game up at Deepdale and we’ve got to take confidence from that.

“It was a game where I thought we had some good chances and we could have put the game to bed but unfortunately, we didn’t.

“We have got to make sure we take these chances when we get them.

On the thrashing three years ago, he said: “You never look at it as revenge or anything like that.

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“We were League Two then and they were Championship.

“I think everyone should look at that result as just how far Wycombe Wanderers have come.”

The match will kick-off at 3pm.