“Heckingbottom Shocks Fans With Brutally Honest Verdict After Preston Stun Ipswich!”

“Heckingbottom Shocks Fans With Brutally Honest Verdict After Preston Stun Ipswich!”

Paul Heckingbottom Praises Preston Performance in Win Over Ipswich, Tips Town for Promotion Race

Preston North End manager Paul Heckingbottom believes Ipswich Town will be among the Championship’s strongest teams this season, despite his side earning a 1-0 victory over them on Saturday.

Milutin Osmajic scored the decisive goal from the penalty spot just 11 minutes in, and from then on, Town struggled to break Preston down or create clear chances.

The win extends Preston’s unbeaten start to the season. After drawing their opener and defeating Leicester City 2-1 last week, they now sit sixth in the early Championship standings. Heckingbottom was full of praise for his players following the result.

“It was a really strong performance against a very good side,” he said. “We knew exactly the kind of team we were up against today.

Ipswich have quality individuals—you could see that not only in their starting XI, but also on the bench and even among those who didn’t feature.

“They’re also excellent without the ball, which was clear from today’s game. I’ve no doubt they’ll be right up there come the end of the season.”

Heckingbottom was pleased with how his side started both halves, particularly how they controlled the game early on.

“We began the match really well and deservedly went in front. That shaped the way the game unfolded—they had to take more risks and commit more players forward, so we had to be solid defensively,” he explained.

“I thought we opened the second half strongly too, but there was a spell—about 15 minutes before we made the changes—where we lost a bit of energy and they started to dominate.

Once the subs came on, we had the legs to see it out, even though we still had to defend with everything.”

He also praised the commitment of his squad, highlighting the pride supporters should feel.

“The fans should be proud of this group,” he said. “People always talk about budgets and what other teams are spending. But if that was the key factor, we wouldn’t have won today.

“What really matters is how we play as a team. Sure, there will be games where we’re second best, but the effort and desire the players showed today speaks volumes.

“Everyone connected to the club—fans, staff, coaches—should be proud of what these players are giving.”