Simon Dalton presents his prediction for the Championship match.
Bristol City have had a full rest this week, whereas Preston North End were fighting for the Championship's pride against Arsenal, but the gap in strength was apparent (0:3). Will this midweek exertion impact the hosts on Saturday?
Preston North End
What could Preston do against the vice-champions, whose second team is stronger than most Premier League clubs? The Championship side fought as hard as they could. Essentially, the hosts were under constant pressure from Arsenal, but even with just 26% possession, they managed to create two dangerous chances. The score could have been 0:4, but in the third minute of injury time, Brad Potts cleared the ball off the line. Bristol City should not pose the same kind of problem as Arsenal, especially considering they aren't as strong away from home.
Bristol City
In their last match, an away game, Bristol City managed a draw (2:2) despite quickly falling two goals behind. Preston, even on the road, have shown they can strike first, as they did against Plymouth Argyle last week. However, they couldn't hold onto the win (3:3), but it was a genuine comeback. Overall, Bristol City's away record in the Championship stands at one win, three draws, and two losses. So, there is a chance.
Preston North End vs Bristol City Prediction
Will the midweek game affect Preston North End? We think it will impact their defence: they will concede a goal. In their last five encounters, only once has one of the sides failed to score, and that was Preston (2:0 at home this January). Four of the last five meetings have seen both teams score, so we will bet on the same outcome.
