Preston North End Super Fan delivers lowdown ahead of West Brom clash
This is part of a regular series from our panel of Super Fans on upcoming West Brom fixtures. Ahead of Saturday’s game against Preston North End, we spoke to football journalist @ConnorJWhitley, a lifelong Lilywhites fan.
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West Brom will face a confident Preston North End side at Deepdale on Saturday after a five-game unbeaten run for the Lilywhites.
Albion, meanwhile, must dust themselves down from disappointing draws against Millwall and Derby County.
West Brom News spoke to football journalist Connor Whitley, a lifelong Lilywhites fan, to gauge the Preston mood ahead of tomorrow’s fixture.
What have you made of West Brom’s start to the season? Are there any players Preston fans are particularly fearful of?
West Brom and Fulham, with the squads that they have, have already tied up the automatic promotion places in my eyes. It will be a scandal if West Brom don’t win automatic promotion.
North End fans are very well acquainted with Jordan Hugill and Callum Robinson as they both made their name at Deepdale and were real fans favourites (Hugill has been spotted at the odd game since leaving for West Ham). I expect one, if not both, to score and perform well at their old stomping ground.
Albion signed three ex-Preston players in the summer, what can fans can expect from them?
Jayson Molumby was an odd one at Preston last season. He was a victim of circumstance as Alex Neil, who signed him, was sacked just weeks after he signed. He didn’t fit into new manager Frankie McAvoy’s 3-5-2 system. I know there were a few clubs in for him but I’m surprised he went to West Brom. I wouldn’t expect him to displace Jake Livermore or Alex Mowatt very easily.
Hugill will score at least 15 goals this season if given the game time. I’d love to see him given a proper chance in the Premier League as I felt he was unfairly treated at West Ham and Norwich.
Adam Reach was a surprising signing as I’m not sure he’s Premier League quality. He’s a real solid Championship player so it made sense on a free but if West Brom went up I’d expect him to leave on loan.
What have you made of your start to the season?
McAvoy’s short interim spell last term papered over the cracks but there are still positive signs this season. If we can finish mid-table we would take that as a lot of squad overhaul work needs to take place. There are about five players outside of the 25 who need binning. There are encouraging signs but I won’t be getting carried away.
Who should Baggies watch out for?
Emil Riis is the man in form with six goals in nine games this season but he still needs three chances a game to score.
Ex-Aston Villa man Daniel Johnson is playing his very best football as a number 10 behind the two strikers in a 3-5-2 and has a wicked left foot. Give him half a yard on the edge of the box and he’ll test Sam Johnstone.
Are there any weak links in your side?
Wing-backs Sepp van den Berg and Josh Earl like to attack so there could be half-spaces for Robinson and Grady Diagana to exploit.
Score prediction?
Deepdale should give us a bit of an advantage. Like every football fan, I always expect an ex-player to score against us so if Robinson, Hugill, Molumby, Reach and Johnstone all score I’d say 5-0! More seriously, I expect a West Brom win but Riis will get his customary goal, so I’d say 3-1 away win.
In other West Brom news, Jeff Stelling & Neil Mellor predict Albion v Preston scoreline.
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