Preston North End hit a bit of form going into the international break so they will be looking to pick up where they left off when Coventry City come calling for this EFL Championship clash.
Paul Heckingbottom took over from Ryan Lowe just three games into the league campaign and his methods now seem to be paying off, with Preston losing just one of their last six games in all competitions.
They battered Watford 3-0 in their last home game then followed it up with an excellent point on the road at title-chasing Burnley so the break probably came at a bad time for Heckingbottom's side.
The same can't be said for Coventry City, with Mark Robins' side winning just one of their last seven in all competitions, a slump that has seen them drop down to 20th place.
Coventry started the season with hopes of pushing for promotion but they're now looking over their shoulders so Robins will be desperate to claim a win that would move them up the table.
How the bookies view it: In-form Preston decent value
With Preston in form and having home advantage, I thought they would be slight favourites for this one but the bookies disagree as Betano have them at a tempting 17/10. Coventry City are priced at 7/5 while the draw pays 23/10.
Recent head to head: Unlucky 13 for Coventry
The odds on a Preston win are even more puzzling when you consider their excellent record in this fixture. Coventry haven't beaten North End in the last 13 meetings and both matches last term ended in Preston wins. They won 3-2 at Deepdale then followed it up with a 3-0 romp on the road.
Players to watch: Jak's the lad
Milutin Osmajic scored twice in Preston's last home game but is now serving a long ban for biting Blackburn's Owen Beck. Emil Riis Jakobsen started up top in the draw at Burnley and could continue here, with the Dane 9/4 for anytime scorer at Bet365.
Brandon Thomas-Asante has been in decent scoring form for Coventry, netting three times in his last eight outings. He's 9/4 to add to that tally here.
Probable line-ups
Osmajic sits this one out again while Ben Whiteman is also suspended for Preston. Will Keane, Patrick Bauer and Ched Evans are set to miss out with injuries too.
Jamie Allen, Jake Bidwell, and Raphael Rodrigues are ruled out for Coventry while Tatsuhiro Sakamoto is a doubt.
Anything else catch the eye?
Two card bets came up for me in Preston's last outing as the derby atmosphere led to some meaty challenges. This game could also be feisty with both teams looking to move away from the drop zone so backing another busy day for the ref could pay off.
Over 52.5 booking points pays 11/8 at Betfred while veteran Preston defender Andrew Hughes is 4/1 to pick up his fourth card of the season.
There's not much between these sides so I'm expecting it to be a close game. The half-time draw looks decent at 23/20 with Betfred while McBookie price a one-goal winning margin for either side at 5/4.
This England Championship match between Preston North End and Coventry City will be played on Oct 19, 2024 and kick off at 12:30. Check below for our tipsters best Preston North End vs Coventry City prediction. You may also visit our dedicated betting previews section for the most up to date previews.
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