Preston vs Newcastle Predictions & Betting Tips, Match Previews

These sides met as recently as Tuesday in what turned out to be a very one-sided game at St James’ Park. Newcastle ran out 6-0 winners to cruise into the last eight of the EFL Cup but Preston were always likely to be up against it when they had Alan Browne sent off in just the 25th minute. Therefore, we perhaps shouldn’t read an enormous amount into that game and both sides made changes for it anyway so we should see many different players lining up here.

Newcastle’s overall form though is a bit harder to ignore. They’ve been very dominant in recent weeks, winning all of their last 6 matches in all competitions. Ominously for the rest of the division, they look to have improved at the back with just 1 goal conceded in their last 5 games. If that continues they will be almost impossible to stop this season and on current form they certainly look capable of coming here and controlling the game and winning to nil again.

There are a few notes of caution to that theory though. Preston have won all of their last 4 home games, conceding only 1 goal in the process so they’ve been tough to break down at Deepdale and have conceded just 0.86 goals per game at home so far this term. They’ve also already beaten the other two sides relegated from the Premier League last term to nil and their 1-0 win at a free-scoring Norwich side last week was a real shock. So Newcastle could still be in for tough game here and they have had the odd off day themselves so they look perhaps a bit too short to back outright at 4/6 to win this.

There is value to found here though. The stats suggest there won’t be goals at both ends in this one, with that having been the case in just 36% of Preston games and 36% of Newcastle games in the Championship this season. Both teams have netted in only 1 of Newcastle’s 7 away games and there looks to be value in backing Both Teams to Score – NO at 4/5 with both teams defending well in the league at the moment.