Wrexham vs Preston Prediction

Right then, let's talk about this Championship clash. Wrexham at home to Preston – it's a proper mid-table tussle with a bit of spice. Preston are sitting 5th, looking at the playoffs, while Wrexham are down in 13th but only six points behind. In this league, that's nothing, so there's plenty to play for.

Wrexham are a different animal at home, make no mistake. Their last five at their place? They haven't lost. They've won three and drawn two, scoring a whopping 2.2 goals per game on average. They're coming off a proper thriller, a 5-3 win over Sheffield United. Now, Sheffield United are no mugs, so putting five past them shows Wrexham's attack is firing. But conceding three? That tells you the other side of the story. At home, they score for fun but they're not exactly shutting up shop.

Then you've got Preston. What are they? They're the draw specialists, that's what. One loss in their last ten games, but six draws in that run. They've drawn with Coventry (the league leaders), Watford, and Millwall – all decent sides. They're tough to beat, especially away where they haven't lost in their last five on the road. But here's the stat that jumps off the page: in 9 of their last 10 matches, both teams have scored. Their defence just can't seem to keep a clean sheet, with only one in ten games. They score a respectable 1.4 goals per game away, but they almost always concede.

When these two met just a few weeks ago, it finished 1-1. The time before that, back in August, it was a 3-2 win for Wrexham. So in both recent head-to-heads, both teams found the net. The pattern is clear.

So, what's gonna happen? Wrexham will come out swinging at home, they always do. They'll create chances – they average nearly 16 shots per game at home. Preston are no slouches either, and with a clinical 50% shot accuracy on their travels, they'll likely take their chances when they come. Wrexham's defence, which let in three last time out, will probably give Preston a sight of goal.

Key Points:

Wrexham are a fortress at home (W60%, D40%, L0% last 5).

They score an average of 2.2 goals per game at their place.

Preston are the Championship's draw kings (6 draws in last 10).

Both teams have scored in a massive 90% of Preston's last 10 matches.

• Both previous meetings this season saw goals at both ends (3-2 & 1-1).

All the signs point to one thing: we're likely to see goals at both ends. The bookies have 'Both Teams to Score - Yes' at 1.92. Given the overwhelming evidence, that looks like proper value to me. I'm backing the nets to bulge at both ends in what should be an entertaining affair.