Simon Dalton presents his prediction for the Championship match.
Burnley have equalled Torquay United’s 15-year-old Football League record of 10 consecutive clean sheets. Now, they have a chance to set a new one.
Preston North End
In their previous match, Preston also managed a clean sheet, securing a narrow victory over Norwich City (1:0). That was no easy feat, as Norwich City had scored in every game for nearly two months. Before that, Preston played out a draw against Wycombe Wanderers (0:0) in the FA Cup, failing to break down a lower-league opponent but eventually progressing on penalties. At Deepdale, Preston tend to play low-scoring matches – under 2.5 goals has won in seven of their last 10 home games.
Burnley
And if we’re talking low-scoring games, Burnley take it to another level. Let’s count: in 10 matches this year, eight have gone under 2.5 goals. Away from home, three of their last five matches have followed the same trend. Just look at their overall numbers: Burnley, third in the table, have seen just 48 total goals (for and against) in 32 games – exactly 1.5 goals per match. Even more astonishingly, they have conceded just nine goals all season.
Preston North End vs Burnley Prediction
Their first meeting this season ended 0:0, and there’s little reason to expect anything different this time. Under 2.5 goals is almost inevitable, and adding Burnley to avoid defeat makes for a solid combination.
