Graham Alexander era begins against stretched Millwall
Graham Alexander takes charge of Preston North End for the first time when Millwall visit Deepdale on Saturday, 10 October 2026. Preston are 23rd in the Championship with one win from eight games, which cost Paul Heckingbottom his job in September, and Alexander has had almost two weeks on the training ground during the international break. Alex Neil’s Millwall arrive 11th but with one win in six and a long injury list. Kick-off is at 3pm UK time, with Ben Speedie the referee.
„We have to change. No one wants to get beat every week.“ – Graham Alexander
Predicted lineups: Preston vs Millwall
Alexander is expected to use a back three, the system he favoured at Bradford, although he has described himself as a pragmatic manager rather than a slave to one shape. Captain Ali McCann remains out after hamstring surgery and Caleb Wiley has not trained, but Jordan Thompson is available after returning from Northern Ireland duty. Millwall are far more stretched. Goalkeeper Lukas Jensen is out, so Filip Marschall is set to continue, while Tristan Crama, Casper De Norre, Ryan Leonard, Josh Coburn and Mihailo Ivanovic are also missing. Mathis Servais is the latest absentee after picking up a problem this week.
Preston Team News & Preview
Preston’s problem has been at the back. They have conceded in every league game, have not kept a clean sheet since February, and goalkeeper Daniel Iversen admitted this week that most of the goals have come from their own mistakes. They lost six of their first seven league games, including three of four at Deepdale, before Heckingbottom was sacked after a 1-0 home defeat by Lincoln.
There were signs of life in the last game before the break. Under interim boss Jason Euell, Johnny Kenny scored twice inside 26 minutes at QPR, although Preston were pegged back to 2-2 with a 90th-minute equaliser. Preston have scored in six of their eight league games, so the issue is not creating chances but protecting a lead. A new manager after a full fortnight of work is the type of reset that can give a home crowd something to rally behind.
What works for or against Preston
- Graham Alexander has had almost two weeks to work with the squad before his first game.
- Preston have scored in six of their eight league games.
- They have conceded in every league game and have no clean sheet all season.
- Captain Ali McCann is out after hamstring surgery.
Millwall Team News & Preview
Millwall’s season has swung between extremes. They beat Norwich 3-0 and Bolton 4-0 at home but lost 5-1 at Southampton, 3-0 at home to Wrexham and 3-1 at Blackburn, and their last four league games all produced exactly four goals. The most recent was a 2-2 draw with West Ham in which they led 2-0 at half-time, both goals coming from long throws.
Away from home, Neil’s side have scored in all four league games but conceded ten goals. Dykes leads their scoring with four, and Camiel Neghli is their highest-rated player with two assists. Neil said this week he could not yet name his best team because he has never had everybody available at once, and with a reserve goalkeeper and a reshuffled defence, that is unlikely to change on Saturday.
What works for or against Millwall
- Millwall have scored in all four away league games and have Dykes and Neghli in form.
- They have conceded ten goals in four away league games.
- Jensen, Crama, De Norre and Servais are among a long list of absentees.
- Millwall have not lost to Preston since February 2019.
Preston vs Millwall Odds
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Preston vs. Millwall Stats Comparison
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Preston vs. Millwall Form Guide
Preston Form, Stats & Data
Preston’s numbers are those of a struggling side: a FotMob rating of 6.43, only 2.5 shots on target per game and 1.88 goals conceded per game. The defensive figure is the important one for this bet. Across eight games and two managers, they have not found a way to keep the opposition out, and Millwall’s direct play and long throws test exactly the areas where Preston have made mistakes.
Millwall Form, Stats & Data
Millwall’s 15:15 goal difference sums them up: 1.88 goals scored and 1.88 conceded per game. They create more than Preston, with 3.7 shots on target per game, and Neghli’s 7.42 FotMob rating makes him the player to watch between the lines. Without their first-choice goalkeeper and several senior defenders and midfielders, though, I would be surprised if this became the tight, low-scoring away performance their best results have been built on.
Preston vs Millwall: Prediction & Betting Tip
This is a hard game to call on the result. Alexander’s arrival and Millwall’s injury list give Preston a real chance of a first home win since early September, but Millwall have gone 14 meetings without losing to them. What both sides share is a defence that keeps conceding: Preston in every league game this season, Millwall ten times in four away games. Both teams have scored regularly too, with Preston finding the net in six of eight games and Millwall in all four away matches.
The biggest risk is the new-manager effect at the back. Alexander’s first priority after two weeks of work will be organisation, and Millwall are without Coburn and Ivanovic in attack. I still think a reserve goalkeeper on one side and a defence that has not kept a clean sheet all season on the other make goals at both ends the likeliest outcome.
Both Teams to Score – Yes at 1.62 with Winz is the bet. Correct score: 1-1.