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  1. 'Those goals are really poor' - Heckingbottompublished at 22:58 BST 8 September

    Preston North End boss Paul Heckingbottom with his head looking downImage source, Getty Images

    Preston North End boss Paul Heckingbottom lamented his side's defending after they let a lead slip in the 2-1 defeat by Watford.

    North End led at half-time thanks to Callum Lang's goal but a slack clearance from midfielder Alfie Devine allowed Edo Kayembe to equalise before Mamadou Doumbia headed Watford's winner.

    "You get what you deserve regardless of performance levels. We should have been out of sight and I felt really comfortable right up to them scoring," Heckingbottom told BBC Radio Lancashire.

    "It's very similar [to other performances this season]. That's the frustrating bit. Bristol City was similar.

    "People I've just seen up there asked, 'How have you not seen that out?' But those goals [conceded] are really poor and unless we as a group sort that, we're not going to get what we deserve from games."

  2. 'Impossible task' for Hayen but 'he's not helping himself'published at 11:16 BST 8 September

    Nicky Hayen puts his finger to his lips as he looks in thought while watching Burnley earlier this monthImage source, Shutterstock

    Burnley's winless start to the season puts them bottom of the Championship but it's not what was expected.

    The side are benefitting from parachute payments and have achieved four promotions to the top flight since 2014.

    So is new boss Nicky Hayen to blame? Fan Natalie Bromley thinks the Belgian has "been handed the most impossible of tasks" after a late appointment and a "disastrous" summer transfer window.

    However, Hayen is not off the hook either.

    "He's not helping himself either. We've got very muddled team selection, players playing out of position, players who clearly are not performing well and not working in certain structures still being picked again the game after," Bromley said.

    "He made six changes on Saturday talking about fitness and squad rotation - we are in September. It's game, what, five?

    "He's very famous for high press, we haven't seen any of that yet. The players look like they don't know what they are doing, the shape and the tactics look disjointed and there is no energy."

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  3. Lang hopes Preston corner turned as goal wait endspublished at 13:57 BST 7 September

    Callum Lang celebrates by raising his left arm after scoring against Blackburn Rovers on SaturdayImage source, Getty Images
    Image caption,

    Callum Lang scored two goals in the Championship for Portsmouth last season

    Preston striker Callum Lang believes his double against Blackburn has helped North End turn the corner after their "massive" Lancashire derby win.

    Lang's two goals set the Championship strugglers up to secure a much-needed first league win of the campaign as he finally opened his account for Preston on his 12th appearance for the club.

    "As a forward player I need to add goals," the 27-year-old told BBC Radio Lancashire. "That's the most important thing. The better I do as a player, the better we do as a team.

    "You've got to be selfish sometimes as a forward. Just getting in the right areas - I think all of us have been working on that. We showed it against Bristol City as well. Just really trying to play on the front foot and be a lot more positive.

    "I think over the last two games we've really showed that and created a lot more chances for it. We were exciting and aggressive and look a lot of a better team for it."

    Lang, who moved to Deepdale from Portsmouth seven months ago, says a weight has been lifted as they prepare to face Watford tomorrow night.

    "It was really a massive result for us," he said. "Confidence-wise, we've had a tough start. We knew coming into the game this could be the turnaround.

    "It's a real boost for the team, all the fans and the staff and we really want to push on now."

  4. Pick of the stats: Watford v Preston North Endpublished at 13:01 BST 7 September

    The Watford and Preston North End club crests side by side

    Watford are hoping to end a run of just one point from their past three Championship games when they meet Preston North End on Tuesday (19:45 BST).

    By contrast, Preston collected their first three points of the campaign and ended a four-game losing streak against Blackburn Rovers at the weekend.

    • Watford have won just one of their past eight Championship games against Preston (D5 L2), a 5-1 away victory in December 2023.

    • Preston are unbeaten in four league visits to Watford (W1 D3), this after losing three of their previous four prior (D1).

    • Watford have only lost one of their past nine midweek (Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday) home games in the Championship (W5 D3), a 2-0 defeat by Ipswich in February last season.

    • Preston could lose each of their first three away games of a league season for the first time since 2018-19 (first five).

    • Preston's Paul Heckingbottom is unbeaten in five league meetings with Watford (W3 D2) since a 1-0 defeat while in charge of Sheffield United in August 2022.

  5. Pick of the stats: Wrexham v Burnleypublished at 12:55 BST 7 September

    The club crests of Wrexham and Burnley side by side

    It is 26 years since these two sides last faced each other in the league during which time Wrexham have dropped to non-league football before their rise back up the divisions.

    Burnley are hoping to record a first win of the campaign, having managed only two points from their opening five games since relegation from the Premier League at the end of last season.

    • Wrexham and Burnley last faced in the 1999-00 third tier season, with the Clarets completing a league double over the Welsh side.

    • Burnley have won nine of their past 10 league matches against Welsh clubs (D1) since a 1-0 Premier League defeat by Swansea in February 2018.

    • Last season, Wrexham only won one of their six Championship games against sides relegated from the Premier League the season before (D3 L2), beating Ipswich 5-3 at home in February.

    • Burnley have lost each of their past seven away league games, last losing more in a row in March 2010 (10).

    • Wrexham boss Phil Parkinson has managed two previous league games against Burnley and lost them both, first with Hull in October 2006 (0-2) and then with Charlton in January 2009 (1-2).

  6. 'Lang not thinking about what could be - he's there'published at 12:47 BST 7 September

    Callum Lang celebrates his goal for Preston North End against Blackburn Rovers on Saturday by holding his fist in the airImage source, Getty Images

    Former Preston North End goalkeeper Alan Kelly has praised striker Callum Lang's "striker's instinct" to score the first of his two goals against Blackburn Rovers.

    Lang scored the opener in just the ninth minute before doubling the lead in the 27th minute.

    "He's not thinking what could have been, he's thinking I'm going to be there just in case," Kelly said.

    "It is there, he taps the ball in. The relief around the ground from Preston fans that one, we are 1-0 up and two, we've actually got on the end of something and got the ball in the back of the net.

    "What a great start from Preston and giving themselves that foot in the door. But let's be under no illusions, Blackburn did come at them."

    Listen to the full post-match reaction below or on BBC Sounds here.

    Media caption,

    Kelly: 'A fantastic local derby'

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