Preston North End face Southampton on Wednesday seeking to protect their long unbeaten run in the Championship.
The Lilywhites are unbeaten in seven, with four wins and three draws, ahead of the 7.45pm kick-off.
They face a Southampton team who have won four and lost three over the same number of games.
With 69 goals in 35 games so far this season, Southampton are the league’s third-highest scorers with 2.0 goals per game. And they are conceding fewer than average, letting in 45 goals at a rate of 1.3 per game.
Preston, meanwhile, are below average scorers, with 1.3 goals per game, compared to a league average of 1.4. They have conceded 1.5 goals per game.
In Adam Armstrong, the Saints have one of the league’s most on-form strikers so far this season. He has notched 17 goals in 35 appearances, to sit second in the scoring charts.
His goal rate of one every 171 minutes is slightly quicker than that of Will Keane, North End’s top scorer with a goal every 147 minutes, and a total of 12 goals in 27 games.
The hosts are fourth in the table after 35 games, of which they have won 21 and drawn seven, earning 70 points.
The Lilywhites are four places behind Southampton in eighth, with 15 wins and eight draws putting them on 53 points.
Southampton’s last match was on Saturday, a 4-3 win against Birmingham City, with Adam Armstrong, Che Adams, David Brooks and Joe Aribo getting the goals for the Saints.
Preston drew 0-0 with Hull City last time out, also on Saturday.
Wednesday’s match will be refereed by Ben Toner, who has taken charge of four Championship games so far this season, issuing no red cards and booking 19 players. He has awarded two penalties.
The last Southampton game Toner refereed was a 1-1 away draw with Coventry City on December 13. He is yet to oversee a match featuring Preston this season.
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Southampton v Preston North End
Championship | St. Mary’s Stadium
Wednesday, 6 March 2024 @ 7.45pm
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