Sky Sports pundit shares exciting Preston North End prediction ahead of Norwich City showdown
PNE head into Saturday’s game against Norwich City occupying third in the table.
Sky Sports pundit David Prutton has praised Paul Heckingbottom for PNE’s impressive start to the Championship campaign.
And the 53-year-old has offered an exciting prediction ahead of the Lilywhites’ contest against Norwich City this weekend.
It’s been an outstanding start to the season in Lancashire for North End, who sit third in the table ahead of the latest round of fixtures.
PNE’s impressive start to the Championship season
Last weekend’s triumph over Oxford United lifted PNE to within seven points of the automatic positions, having picked up 35 points from their opening 21 games.
Heckingbottom’s men kick start the festive period by welcoming lowly Norwich to Deepdale, bidding to extend their unbeaten run to six games.
The Canaries have endured a tough opening four months to the campaign and currently occupy a spot in the relegation zone, having claimed just 17 points to date.
But after last Saturday’s triumph over Southampton, new boss Phillipe Clement is hoping to install a winning mentality into his side, who have won just four times this term.
Prutton, though, is adamant the in-form Lilywhites will be too strong for Norwich this weekend, and has predicted another win for Heckingbottom’s men.
Sky Sports pundit’s Preston v Norwich prediction
Speaking on Sky Sports’ Essential EFL Podcast, the former Southampton midfielder said: It’s amazing (where PNE find themselves in the table). The top six has got a really collective makeup, which has been great.
‘I think what Paul’s doing there with the team that he’s got, especially of course at Deepdale given how good they’ve been, means it’s a tough place for anyone to go.
‘It’s one where they go into it statistically where both sides find themselves in the table with I would say the favouritism being on Preston North End.
‘Phillipe Clement has talked about how he wants to turn them into a winning machine, time will tell whether that will be the case.
‘I think for me there’s some big clubs down there but it’s pretty tight. Norwich have got enough but I’ve seen the teams in and around there showing they’ve got enough to be out of it. It’s going to be a classic Bond fight.
‘There’s signs of optimism but still very much in trouble. Preston 2-1.’