An encouraging unbeaten start to the season, with two matches against the league’s better teams behind us. Or a winless start which stretches our torrid form to only one win in the 2025 calendar year. In his Southampton post-match press conference, McKenna was desperate to paint the narrative with the former perspective, stating that this is a new season and last season shouldn’t have an impact. But it’s difficult to overlook last season's utter capitulation from January. Despite another summer of change and new signings, 10 of the 11 starters against Southampton played Premier League football with us last season. A win is surely needed soon to boost spirits and give confidence to a team that looked chronically short of it only a few months ago. An away fixture to Preston looked like a perfect tonic on paper a few weeks ago. After all, this is a team that only avoided relegation by a point on the final day of last season. But Preston have already claimed one scalp from the relegated Premier League sides, following a surprising 2-1 win against Leicester at Deepdale last week. Attacking form man, Milutin Osmajić, has two goals in two games. A team not to be taken lightly, but a brilliant chance to get our first win of the season. A nervy 2-1 Ipswich win.
