Goodman’s verdict in context
A Sky Sports analyst backing a club to steer clear of the drop after only four games usually raises eyebrows. In this case, Don Goodman is looking at the early numbers and the tone of the performances. Preston North End have 7 points from 4 matches, sit 9th, and have a +1 goal difference (four scored, three conceded). That doesn’t scream promotion, but it does signal a platform. When you’ve only just escaped on the final day last season, a platform matters.
Goodman’s read isn’t built on hype. It’s about what Preston are already doing better. They’ve tightened the margins in matches, avoided chaotic spells, and shown they can rescue points instead of surrendering them. The 2-2 draw at Deepdale versus a Middlesbrough side on a winning run is a perfect example: down, under pressure, yet still finding a way back with goals from L Dobbin on 22 minutes and J Storey late on 88. That’s temperament, not luck.
There’s also the Deepdale factor. In recent months, Preston’s best work has come at home, with notable wins over Leicester City and Ipswich Town giving the fanbase something to cling to. Opponents don’t tend to enjoy the trip, and when the crowd senses energy, the team often feeds off it. That home edge is a real asset in a division where small swings decide your season.
The obvious caveat is the away form. Three wins in the last 29 road games tells its own story. Saturday’s 1-0 defeat at Portsmouth, settled by a deflected strike from Andre Dozzell at Fratton Park, was as frustrating as it was familiar—tight game, few clear chances, and a sucker punch. Goodman isn’t ignoring that. He’s arguing that Preston have enough structure and grit to keep those away-day setbacks from snowballing.
Under Paul Heckingbottom, the approach has been pragmatic. Keep games manageable. Limit the big chances against. Stay in the contest long enough to nick something. Through four matches, the numbers back that up: three conceded is steady, and four scored is modest but not alarming if you’re defensively stable. Teams who defend first and build from there tend to hover around mid-table unless the goals dry up completely.
The table position—9th with 7 points—doesn’t guarantee anything, but it changes the mood. A start like that buys time on the training ground. It lets a manager tweak without the panic of a bad run. It calms a dressing room that went through the wringer last spring. Even small improvements look bigger when they arrive early.
Goodman’s broader point is about the rhythm of the Championship. It’s a 46-game grind. If you collect points consistently in the first two months, you often avoid the storms that smash confidence around winter. Preston aren’t blowing teams away, but they aren’t handing away easy goals either. That balance tends to keep you out of the bottom six.
There’s also the resilience angle. Coming from behind against Middlesbrough matters, not just for the point. It shows personality after last year’s late escape. When you’ve gone through that, you either carry the fear into the new season or you use it. Right now, Preston look like they’re using it.
What Preston must do next
Home form can’t carry everything. The away record has to improve, even just a little. Turning narrow defeats into draws on the road would make a huge difference to the points column. The Portsmouth loss—a low-event game decided by a deflection—shows they’re not far off. They need cleaner transitions and an extra pass in the final third to turn territory into chances.
Game management is another big piece. Late goals can be a strength or a crutch. Storey’s 88th-minute equaliser versus Middlesbrough was huge, but living off late drama is risky. If Preston can start faster away from home—set the tone in the first 20 minutes—they’ll stop chasing as many matches.
Set pieces are a lever, especially for sides aiming for mid-table stability. Defensively, they’ve looked organised early on. If they can add a couple of reliable routines from corners and free-kicks, that’s a low-cost way to boost the goals total without changing the entire attacking blueprint.
Depth will matter as the schedule tightens. The Championship punishes thin squads with back-to-backs and midweeks. Keeping the core fit and rotating smartly around that spine could be the difference between a calm March and a nervy one.
There’s also the psychological hurdle of that away record. Sometimes it only takes one gritty win to loosen the knot. A clean sheet on the road, a breakaway goal, and suddenly the narrative flips from “can’t win away” to “hard to beat anywhere.” The performances have been close; the question is whether they can land the little moments that swing results.
Numbers-wise, 7 points from 4 is 1.75 points per game—too early to project, but it’s a pace that comforts you while you work on the problem areas. If that settles closer to 1.3–1.4 over the long haul, you’re tracking mid-table. Keep the goals against low, find a couple of extra strikes from midfield, and Goodman’s call looks sensible.
Fans won’t forget how last season ended, and that’s fair. But this version of Preston is already showing a sturdier floor. The task now is to build a ceiling: a reliable away plan, sharper end product, and faith in the basics that have carried them through the first four games. If they hit those marks, staying out of a relegation fight won’t be the bold claim—it’ll be the baseline.
- Form so far: 2 wins, 1 draw, 1 loss; 9th in the table.
- Defence first: 3 conceded in 4 suggests a solid base.
- Resilience: late leveller vs Middlesbrough hints at stronger mentality.
- Red flag: only 3 wins in last 29 away league games.
- Next step: turn tight away defeats into draws and snatch a few by one goal.