Preston vs Ipswich prediction: ENGLAND: Championship betting tips on match 2024-02-02 15:00.
After a phenomenal start to the season in which they won six and drew two of their opening eight league matches in 2023/24, Preston North End’s play-off push is threatening to fall apart. The Lilywhites have lost eight of their last 13 Championship encounters (W3, D2) to leave them in mid-table, although they still remain only five points off the current top six heading into their meeting with Ipswich Town.
The reverse outing saw Preston suffer a 4-2 defeat, a match which marked the second of five games across all competitions this term in which they conceded at least four times. It’s therefore unsurprising that the Lancashire outfit have also let in the second-most goals in the division this campaign from the 76th minute onwards, only performing better than rivals Blackburn Rovers in that respect.
That statistic, along with the fact that Preston are the lowest scorers in the top half heading into the weekend, will give Ipswich great belief after a period which has seen the Tractor Boys win just one of their last seven league matches (D5, L1). The visitors were also embarrassingly dumped out of the FA Cup last weekend by Vanarama National League South side Maidstone United, despite recording 38 shots in the process – their most in a single match since Opta records began!
They’ll hope that the arrival of striker Ali Al-Hamadi from AFC Wimbledon will add to their scoring ranks, especially as a ten-point advantage over third place in mid-December has now shrunk to just one after a raft of recent draws. Having lost only one of the last ten H2Hs (W6, D3), Kieran McKenna’s side will feel confident of bouncing back to winning ways here at least, but they’ll need to be alert right from kick-off, as they’ve conceded ten league goals during the first 15 minutes – the highest total in the Championship so far this season.
Players to watch: Preston’s Will Keane has five goals in his last six appearances and used to play for Ipswich, but has tasted victory just once against them in six career meetings (D3, L2). Hoping to further worsen that record will be Jeremy Sarmiento, who equalised against both Leicester City and Maidstone following his loan move earlier in January from Brighton & Hove Albion.
Hot stat: Ipswich have won each of their seven away matches this term after opening the scoring.