- Form: Preston North End have lost four matches in a row
- Huddersfield form: Huddersfield Town have won one, drawn one and lost three of their last five matches
- Head-to-head: Preston North End have won the last two head-to-head games between the pair, including a 4-1 home victory in 2023/2024
A control vs intensity matchup at Deepdale
Preston North End are the 2.2 favorites ahead of Saturday's EFL Cup clash with Huddersfield Town, who are 3.0 to win at Deepdale and who will be a risk at those odds, while the tie price is 3.55. However, the Terriers could have their moments in this.
Paul Heckingbottom has set up Preston North End from a three-at-the-back base, a system which looks compact without the ball and can be direct and incisive on the transition. They have failed to win any of their last three home games in all competitions, suffering three straight defeats.
Their most recent results have seen them lose 0-1 at home to League Two Cambridge United, 3-2 away to League One Bradford City and 1-0 away to Stockport County. The Lilywhites have conceded six goals in three home fixtures across all competitions this season, which is a bit worrying for a team that sets up to be structurally sound.
Martin Drury has Huddersfield playing the underdog role
Tactical approach:
Martin Drury has got the Terriers playing on the front foot, pressing higher and pushing the identity of the club onto the pitch in a more proactive manner.
Recent form and head-to-head:
In terms of head-to-head, the hosts should have the edge, having won the last two head-to-head meetings and two of the last three home clashes, but they are in a bit of a rut and look vulnerable as a result.
Huddersfield's most recent three results have been a 3-1 defeat away to Birmingham City, a 3-1 defeat away to Sheffield United and a 1-1 draw with Blackburn Rovers. Away from home, across all competitions, they have won two, drawn one and lost two of their last five fixtures and will have enough to make this a tough contest on Saturday.
The stats suggest a fast-paced affair
A narrow Preston win is the most likely result, but there could be a little bit of a mismatch here with the hosts' preferred system against Huddersfield's press, so there may be a few end-to-end transitions.
As such, both teams to score – yes and over 2.5 goals both sit at 1.57 and 1.7, respectively, and that's the way I will go.
- Preston North End have won only one and lost four of their last five competitive matches, but they have won three and lost seven of their last ten in all competitions.
- Huddersfield, by contrast, have two wins, five draws and three defeats from their previous ten in all competitions.
- The stats point to a tight game.
