Simon Dalton presents his prediction for the Championship match.
Preston
The first resignation of the season occurred in Lancashire. More precisely, it was a voluntary departure, as one defeat (0:2 to Sheffield United) wouldn't typically lead to a dismissal, particularly when the team did not play poorly. Ryan Lowe, who had been coaching the team for over two and a half years, decided he no longer saw a clear direction for the club. Interim coach Mike Marsh led them to a League Cup victory over Sunderland, and on August 20, the management introduced their new head coach. The new man in charge is 47-year-old Paul Heckingbottom, formerly of Sheffield United. His main task now is to raise team morale and improve their attacking play. Preston haven’t scored yet.
Luton Town
The opening championship match against Burnley (1:4) revealed Luton Town's defensive issues, making their signing of defender Mark McGuinness from Cardiff City seem prudent. They paid €11.7 million for the Arsenal academy product. Just to note: McGuinness did not participate in the defeat to Burnley. Even against Portsmouth (0:0), the team faced challenges, although they kept a clean sheet: they allowed 16 shots, including 7 on target. Luton Town's fans and players can only hope their opponents continue to struggle with converting chances. Luton Town themselves need to remember how to find the net, having scored only one goal so far.
Preston - Luton Town Prediction
When a new coach takes over, even weaker teams usually manage to at least avoid defeat, motivated by the new coach's speeches. Preston are already working on their mentality. They might not secure a victory, but they'll do their best. Preston have a recent example to look up to. Despite Luton Town's promotion to the Premier League in the season before last, Preston came out on top in their head-to-head encounters (1:0, 1:1).
