Preston vs Luton prediction: ENGLAND: Championship betting tips on match 2023-02-14 19:45.
Preston North End’s four-month stretch without a Championship draw (W9, L10) continued with a bruising 3-0 Lancashire derby loss away to league leaders Burnley, a result that manager Ryan Lowe said was “hard to take”. The visit of another high-flying opponent may seem an intimidating prospect, but Preston return to Deepdale safe in the knowledge they have already conquered upcoming opposition Luton Town this season with a 1-0 victory at Kenilworth Road in August.
What may be even more painful for Lowe to take is what would be a sixth consecutive Championship home defeat, with the Preston faithful having been subjected to the misery of having conceded a whopping 13 goals in those five straight losses. That includes conceding three match openers inside the first 15 minutes which continues to force them on the back foot early.
Luton are a heavily improved side to the one that lost at home to Preston early in the season, earning their status as one of the Championship’s in-form sides as one of just four clubs to have collected at least six wins across the last eight rounds (W6, D1, L1). That impressive run has seen Luton jump above bitter rivals Watford and into the top four, something new boss Rob Edwards will also be delighted with considering he was sacked by the Hornets in late September 2022.
Edwards received a Manager of the Month nomination prior to their 1-1 draw away to Coventry City last time out, which saw Luton fail to convert an opening goal into a win for an eighth time this league season (W12, D5, L3). That result did at least maintain Luton’s four-game unbeaten run away from home (W3, D1) in the Championship, and Edwards will now seek to extend that run at Deepdale, though he needn’t expect a warm welcome given he had a stint at Preston’s fierce rivals Blackpool in his playing career!
Players to watch: In the absence of teammates Emil Riis, Brad Potts and Ched Evans, Preston desperately need a first North End goal from young recruit Thomas Cannon. Carlton Morris is the only Luton player to have scored twice in their aforementioned four-game unbeaten run on the road, when netting either side of half-time at QPR.
Hot stat: The winning side has also been in front at half-time in all but one of Preston’s last six Championship matches.