FA Cup: Preston North End vs Burnley | OneFootball

Championship sides Preston and Burnley face off for the third time this season in English football’s most boring derby…or is it?

Preston v Burnley has failed to entertain on the pitch

There is always added interest when neighboring clubs clash and even more so when a place in the FA Cup quarter-finals is at stake. A long history of hatred and disdain for the opposing team revealing itself in the stands and often making its way onto the pitch, what’s not to love right?

Preston are not Burnley’s biggest rivals and vice-versa, with the two clubs having more fiery relationships with Blackpool and Blackburn Rovers respectively. It is, however, a local derby, with the Lancashire teams’ stadiums situated only around 20 miles from each other. The match, which kicks off at 12:15 GMT, is definitely one of the standout ties of the fifth round.

Despite this, the two occasions when Preston and Burnley have met this season have been more effective at getting people to sleep than sedation.

The first match of the season between the rivals saw them manage a combined three shots on target and in the second fixture the exact same thing happened. A long 180 minutes with not a single goal to celebrate, although in fairness Preston thought they had the lead in the October fixture, but striker Emil Riis was wrongly ruled offside.

It is therefore unsurprising that despite sitting third in the English Championship, Burnley have been outscored by nine teams in the league so far. Preston are not looking all that impressive in attack either as they average 1.06 goals per game, with only seven teams scoring fewer goals this season.

Preston and Burnley’s clashes have had some excitement

So there we have it, Preston v Burnley is a boring match full of players who cannot shoot. Avoid this game at the weekend at all costs! Well that is certainly not the case and here’s why. This is a local derby and the teams despise each other. This has been evident in both matches this season on both the pitch and the touchline.

Firstly, the referee has been dishing out cards like a pesky door-to-door salesman canvassing the local neighborhood. The game at Burley’s Turf Moor saw seven players booked for a combination of arguments and fouls, while four players were shown a yellow card when the sides played at Deepdale. This has meant the games have been full of passion and tough tackling, yet not so much that they have been spoiled with a sending off, a nice balance for any soccer game.

On top of this there has been plenty of drama between the coaches. Burnley boss Scott Parker has somehow managed to be shown a yellow card in both his team’s matches with Preston.

He is not alone in getting on the wrong side of the match official, as opposition manager Paul Heckingbottom was booked in the first fixture, while Burnley’s Ashley Barnes picked up a booking in the second, despite remaining on the bench for the entire match.

Still not convinced this is a match worth watching? Well read on because there is one key reason why the upcoming clash will be the best between the two teams this season.

FA Cup matches cannot end in goalless draws

If players and managers losing their temper is not enticing enough, there is a chance Preston v Burnley will finally deliver some entertainment on the pitch. This is all the more likely because replays were scrapped from FA Cup fifth round ties in the 2018/19 season and they have now been removed entirely. Therefore, one team has to win the match in a single leg.

Even if the match delivers nothing for 120 minutes, a penalty shootout will decide which team progresses to the next round and they are always a fun watch for a neutral.

Whether you decide to tune into the Lancashire derby or the all-London battle between Crystal Palace and Millwall which is being played at the same time, expect fireworks.