Lincoln City travel to Deepdale on Saturday for a game which could have significant consequences for Preston North End manager Paul Heckingbottom.
Preston are bottom of the Championship after losing five of their opening six league matches, with their only victory coming against local rivals Blackburn Rovers. They have collected three points from a possible 18 and go into the weekend under growing pressure to reverse their form.
Tuesday’s 2-1 defeat at Watford intensified the scrutiny. North End led for much of the evening but conceded twice during the closing stages, continuing a worrying run in which they have struggled to turn performances into points.
Despite the increasingly uncertain atmosphere, Heckingbottom insists he retains complete faith in his ability and has not allowed speculation about his position to become a concern.
“I’m seeing the improvements are there, I can see that, and that’s why it hurts when you come off and you’ve not won the game,” he told the Lancashire Post.
“That’s only natural because ultimately it’s a results business. I said that many times last season when people were talking us up. They’re the margins in this league and you have to fight for those margins to come out on top of them.
“There is a knack to it, there is an ability to it and the successful teams are able to do it.”
Heckingbottom Responds To Pressure
When asked directly whether he felt secure in his position, the former Sheffield United manager dismissed the suggestion that he might be worried.
“If you’re scared of that, why would you come into it? It’s never an issue. Honestly, you can’t be worried and nervous about your job when you’re a football manager.
“You just can’t. You’ve got to think differently to everyone else.
“If you didn’t want the hassle, you didn’t want the stuff that comes with it, you don’t do it. There’s plenty of other things you can do.”
That confidence is not universally shared among Preston supporters. Some believe Saturday’s meeting with the Imps has become a must-win fixture, while others have questioned whether any other Championship club would have retained a management team following such an extended run of poor results.
There is particular concern about Preston’s game management. During Heckingbottom’s tenure, North End have lost considerably more points than they have gained following his first substitution. Add that to a record of five victories in 25 matches and 22 consecutive games without a clean sheet.
Those figures have contributed to the feeling that this is not simply a reaction to six difficult results at the beginning of a new season. Preston finished 14th last term, but their form during the second half of the campaign was already causing concern before the present slump.
You could argue that Heckingbottom is now being scrutinised for every selection, substitution and interview, while the underlying numbers suggest performances have been better than the league table indicates. Preston are ninth in the division for expected goals, eighth for big chances missed and 11th for expected goals conceded. Those numbers offer some support to Heckingbottom’s belief that results could improve if his side continue creating opportunities.
Results Must Follow Performances
It is a view shared, to some extent, by Chris Cohen. The Lincoln City joint head coach has described Preston as being in a false position and believes their performances should have produced more points.
There are certainly similarities between the clubs in that respect. City have also felt their performances have deserved a greater return, although the Imps have already demonstrated an ability to grind out results, most notably with their 1-0 victory at Bolton Wanderers.
There is a reasonable argument that Preston have played better than their position suggests, but football managers are rarely judged on expected points or promising passages of play. Heckingbottom acknowledged that himself by describing football as a results business.
Saturday therefore feels important for both clubs. Lincoln City have an opportunity to deepen Preston’s problems and collect a valuable away victory, while the hosts urgently need a result which can ease the pressure surrounding their manager.
Comments Welcome!