‘A very, very ugly scenario’: EFL pundits deliver scathing verdict over Preston North End’s Championship survival hopes
PNE are in real danger of relegation this season.
That’s the scathing verdict delivered by Justin Peach and Ryan Dilks from the Second Tier Podcast, who have made it clear the Lilywhites’ Championship future hangs in the balance.
North End were dragged further into the battle for survival following a damaging 2-1 loss to Plymouth Argyle on Saturday. The defeat leaves Paul Heckingbottom’s men just one point above the bottom three heading into the final game of the campaign.
It’s been an awful end to the season, with PNE picking up just nine points in their past 14 games - winning just once during that period.
This has seen them slip from 15th on February 11 to 20th ahead of a now crucial final day which will determine their Championship future.
The Lilywhites make the trip to play-off hopefuls Bristol City this Saturday, with anything but a win taking their survival hopes out of their own hands.
And speaking on the latest episode, Peach fears for Heckingbottom’s side given their recent decline in form.
He said: I worry for Preston. Out of all the teams who are going into the final game in this five-way relegation battle, they are the team out of form.
‘Mentally as well they haven’t been switched into the fight all season, I think that’s a key thing we need to consider here. It’s literally the last nine or 10 days where it’s felt like that has been the case (within the relegation battle). But you compare them to Hull, Stoke, Derby and Luton, they have been fighting for the past 15 or 16 games at least.
‘Even after the Plymouth defeat, Paul Heckingbottom described it as a scare and a wake up call. For me, that’s quite astonishing because that should’ve been the case weeks ago. Preston were 11 points clear of relegation at the start of March.
‘They’ve won just seven points since and then they have to go to Bristol City, where they need to win against a team who might need to win themselves. It’s a very, very ugly scenario for Preston.’
Five-team relegation battle to take centre stage on final day
And Peach’s thoughts were echoed by co-host Dilks, who gave a more damning verdict on PNE’s survival hopes.
He said: ‘May I make the argument they might actually be the most in danger on the final day. Firstly, they’ve got two teams below them but Hull have got a better goal difference so a point may be enough to overtake Preston and Luton are in form.
‘Secondly, Preston have got Bristol City away and I’m going to assume Bristol City don’t win away at Leeds United on Monday night because if they don’t, then they still have to secure a play-off place on the final day.
‘Preston are the most out of form team in the whole division. Four losses on the bounce, one win in 14 and no team has won fewer points in that time than them.
‘I’m struggling to find words of encouragement for Preston fans, although they’ll know full well the dangers they’re in because of the boos at full-time after the loss to Plymouth. They were very aware of how bad everything is at the moment.
‘They have properly sleepwalked into danger like I’ve never seen before. A perfect example of that is seven games ago, Preston were 12 points clear of Luton now they’re level on points, which is astonishing.
‘Their best hope of staying up on the final day may actually come to other teams doing them favours because I seriously don’t have much ambitions of Preston getting out of this.’