Preston vs Cardiff prediction: ENGLAND: Championship betting tips on match 2023-11-24 15:00.
Preston grabbed a last-gasp winner at Blackburn before the international break, securing a second successive victory to remain in the play-offs. The break probably came at an inopportune time for them, but their task now is to pick up from where they left off and extend a steady run of just one defeat in five (W2, D2) when Cardiff make the long trip to Lancashire.
The last time they managed back-to-back wins, it went on to become six in a row, and a similar run would be more than welcome now as they look to maintain their spot in the top six. To do so, the Lilywhites need to make Deepdale, where they’ve collected five of their eight wins this season, a fortress. But having lost three of the last four H2Hs they’ve hosted, building upon that run may prove tricky (W1).
Cardiff are definitely home birds this season having won two thirds of their seasonal points tally in South Wales. That’s not to say this Bluebirds outfit aren’t capable of pulling off a result here after claiming four points across their last two away games, with victory against Preston potentially seeing them end the weekend in the top six, if it’s coupled with some favourable results elsewhere.
Erol Bulut’s men head north having conceded two late goals to let a 2-1 lead slip into a 3-2 defeat at Norwich prior to the international break. That was an outcome which probably came as little surprise given Cardiff have leaked eight league goals after the 75th minute so far this season, with only four teams conceding more in that same timeframe.
Players to watch: After 16 games, Preston (40) have picked up the joint-third most yellow cards in the Championship this season, with captain Alan Browne responsible for four of those. Cardiff’s six clean sheets are the joint-second highest tally in the division, with goalkeeper Jak Alnwick impressively saving circa 70% of the shots he faces.
Hot stat: The away side on the day have failed to score in eight of the last 12 league H2Hs.