Simon Dalton presents his prediction for the Championship match.
The betting odds say that West Bromwich are not the obvious favourites. You can bet on them at around 3/2. So it's a question whether it's worth it betting on them hoping to win a lot or not.
Preston North End
Preston North End have gone seven matches without a win, mostly ending in draws. Surprisingly, one of the two defeats was against Portsmouth (1:3). Also included are a squandered victory against Plymouth Argyle (3:3) and a draw in the previous round against Stoke City (0:0), which came at the cost of a red card for their first-choice goalkeeper Freddie Woodman after a second yellow. David Cornell will be in goal against West Bromwich, having played just four matches in two previous seasons with Preston, and his appearance in injury time against Stoke City was his first this season.
West Bromwich Albion
West Bromwich Albion also played out a goalless draw in midweek, but that’s nothing to worry about. Their opponents were Sunderland, a direct rival for Premier League spots, who completely outplayed the Baggies at home, yet failed to breach their defence despite 18 attempts. Their trouble lay in accuracy: only two shots were on target. West Bromwich, meanwhile, managed just two shots on goal themselves. Against Preston, they will not be so constrained.
Preston North End vs West Bromwich Albion Prediction
The main advantage for the visitors lies in their defence. Conceding 11 goals ranks them third in the Championship for the fewest goals conceded. The home side have a typical rate for many teams at 1.4 goals per game, and they'll be fielding a second-choice goalkeeper. Thus, we are betting on a West Bromwich Albion victory, especially since they’ve won the last three direct encounters with a clean sheet.
