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  1. Pick of the stats: Coventry City v Burnleypublished at 09:30 4 April

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    There's precious points in the promotion race as well as Championship history at stake as Burnley head to Coventry for a lunchtime cracker on Saturday (12:30 BST).

    Clarets attacker Zian Flemming stands on the verge of a record as he has not tasted defeat in his past 34 appearances in the second tier, since former club Millwall's defeat against Huddersfield a year ago.

    A point or more at the CBS Arena would equal former Claret Glen Little's record of 35 appearances without losing while at Reading in 2005/06.

    A win could take Burnley top, depending on how Leeds do at Luton at the same time, with leaders Sheffield United, two points ahead, not in action until later on Saturday afternoon.

    A victory for the Sky Blues would open up a five-point lead over the play-off chasing pack, for at least a couple of hours.

    • Coventry City are winless in their past six league matches against Burnley (D2 L4) since a 1-0 victory in November 2010 under Aidy Boothroyd.

    • Burnley have won nine of their past 13 away league games against Coventry (L4), winning each of their last two in the 2011-12 and 2022-23 seasons.

    • Coventry have won their past four home league matches – they haven't won more consecutively on home soil since a run of seven between May and October 2021.

    • Burnley have kept 28 Championship clean sheets this season, a record by a side in a second tier season. Only two teams have ever kept more in a league season in Football League history – Port Vale in 1953-54 (30) and Gillingham in 1995-96 (29).

    • Zian Flemming has had a hand in a goal in each of his past four Championship appearances for Burnley (2 goals, 2 assists); he's unbeaten in each of his last 34 Championship matches, since featuring for Millwall in a defeat to Huddersfield in April 2024, and could equal the longest unbeaten run in Championship history in this game, with Glen Little holding the record at 35.

  2. Heckingbottom on Stoke and schedulingpublished at 18:53 3 April

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    Preston North End's manager Paul Heckingbottom looks back at their FA Cup run - and the Championship run-in

    Preston North End boss Paul Heckingbottom says he is expecting a "totally different proposition" from next opponents Stoke City as opposed to Derby County, who they lost to on Tuesday.

    "I looked at the team at the weekend and a lot of big players for them were back. Then, watching the game, I got a good idea of what Mark [Robins] is trying to do there.

    "[Stoke] will come at us more with the ball in different ways. We will have to defend well, better than [against Derby], but in different parts of the game."

    Saturday's match against Stoke will be their third since Sunday, having lost their FA Cup quarter-final against Aston Villa before the defeat by the Rams.

    However, Heckingbottom is hoping that third time's a charm when it comes to earning a victory.

    "It's always in the back of your mind when you schedule changes because of the cup competition, it's always in the back of your mind that it costs you players," he added.

    "We tried to mitigate against that and we prepared and I think we've done well. We've got those freaky silly injuries, ankles, ribs, things like that which we could have done without.

    "We will make changes again for the weekend. These are games that we are wanting win and pick up points in."

  3. It was as if we weren't prepared - Heckingbottompublished at 12:28 3 April

    Paul Heckingbottom watching Preston North EndImage source, Rex Features

    Preston North End boss Paul Heckingbottom says a poor start to the second half led to his side's downfall after a disappointing 2-0 loss to relegation battlers Derby County.

    The Lilywhites started the game the better but were only able to muster one shot on target, while the Rams came out of the blocks in the second to gain a two goal advantage in the space of four minutes.

    "The second half was a totally different game and as if we'd not prepared for the team we were playing against.

    "It's horrible getting beaten but the frustration is how much I felt we were in control and dealing with their threats.

    "In the second half all of a sudden we're not winning the duels, leaving men at set-plays and then we walk away from a second phase throw put in our box and all of a sudden we're outnumbered and one of their best headers is left free.

    "That 10-minute spell just took the game away from us."

    Preston suffered five consecutive losses to conclude last season, finishing 10th overall and currently find themselves in 14th.