Gerry Mandering - Football Correspondent: previews and match reports, Tuesday 3 November 2026

Blackburn v Stoke City

Gerry’s preview: Blackburn to Stew

Guðjohnsen has 5 goals in the last 4 gameweeks. His price is £22m, yet only 3% of you own him. Reckless. Stoke are unbeaten in their last 4 away matches. They are 7th on 23 points. Blackburn are 13th on 18. The computer gives Blackburn a 10% chance. I give them a chance of a quiet evening. In my day, we had fewer players out with injuries. Now it is a circus. 19:45 kick-off is sensible. The rain is not. Blackburn 1-1 Stoke City. Write it down.

Gerry’s call: Blackburn 1–1 Stoke City

Derby v Norwich

Gerry’s preview: Derby's injury list is a novel

Derby have not won in 4. Their record is 0 wins, 2 draws, 3 losses. They have conceded 11 and scored 4. It is a disaster. The squad has 8 players out with injuries, including P. Agyemang. Norwich are missing M. Toure, priced at £11.6m. The computer gives Derby a 10% chance. A 10% chance of winning is a generous estimate for this team. In my day, medical departments were smaller and more honest. Tuesday night kick-off is sensible, provided the light holds. Derby 1-2 Norwich. Write it down.

Gerry’s call: Derby 1–2 Norwich

Portsmouth v Swansea

Gerry’s preview: Portsmouth's knee problem

Portsmouth have four players out with knee injuries. Four. That is a medical statistic, not a football squad. Swansea are third on 26 points, but they are missing Burgess and Ronald. The computer gives Portsmouth a 35% chance of winning. I give them a 35% chance of keeping their knees attached to their legs. Swansea have scored 7 in the last 4 gameweeks. Portsmouth have conceded 5. In my day, we just played on. 19:45 kick-off is fine, if the players are fit to stand up. Portsmouth 1-1 Swansea. Write it down.

Gerry’s call: Portsmouth 1–1 Swansea

Preston v Sheffield Utd

Gerry’s preview: Preston: 0% chance, 12 goals conceded

Preston are 24th with 5 points. They have scored 2 and conceded 12 in the last 4 gameweeks. That is not a team; it is a cautionary tale. Sheffield Utd are 10th on 19 points and have won 3 of the last 5 meetings. The computer gives Preston a 0% chance. I give them a 0% chance of keeping their shirts dry. Bamford is questionable, which means he might play. In my day, we played with fewer players and more sense. 19:45 kick-off is sensible, provided the players can remember how to run. Preston 0-2 Sheffield Utd. Write it down.

Gerry’s call: Preston 0–2 Sheffield Utd

QPR v Burnley

Gerry’s preview: Kone is the only one not injured

Kone has 4 goals in the last 4 gameweeks. His price is £13.8m. He is the only one fit to play. QPR have 4 players out. Burnley have 9. Burnley are 22nd on 9 points. The computer gives QPR a 10% chance. I give them a 10% chance of finding a second striker. Tuesday 19:45 is sensible, provided the physios are off duty. In my day, we played through the pain. Now it is a medical ward. QPR 2-0 Burnley. Write it down.

Gerry’s call: QPR 2–0 Burnley

Watford v Lincoln

Gerry’s preview: Watford: A clinic, not a club

Watford have 5 players out. That is a medical ward, not a squad. They have conceded 13 in the last 4 gameweeks. A defensive unit that leaks like that deserves a bucket, not a ball. Lincoln are away, which is sensible. The computer gives Watford a 33% chance. I give them a 33% chance of finding their back sheet. Back in the day, we played with fewer knees and more sense. 19:45 kick-off is fine, provided the physios are asleep. Watford 1-2 Lincoln. Write it down.

Gerry’s call: Watford 1–2 Lincoln

Charlton v Bolton

Gerry’s preview: Charlton and Bolton: A study in futility

Both teams sit on 14 points, which suggests a shared destiny of mediocrity. Charlton have failed to win in their last 4, conceding 11 while scoring just 4. That is a defensive structure held together with string and hope. Bolton have lost 3 of their last 4. Dalby has 2 goals, yet 0% of managers own him. Reckless. The computer gives a 45% chance of a draw. I give them a 45% chance of the ball staying in the box. Tuesday 19:45 is sensible, provided the medical staff are elsewhere. In my day, we played. We did not wait for reports. Charlton 1-1 Bolton. Write it down.

Gerry’s call: Charlton 1–1 Bolton

Birmingham v Millwall

Gerry’s preview: Millwall's medical wing visits St Andrew's

Tuesday 20:00. I could be asleep. Millwall have 6 players out or questionable. That is not a squad; it is a waiting room. Lisbie has 3 goals in the last 4 gameweeks, yet 0% of managers own him. His price is up £6.8m to £9.8m. Ignorance. Birmingham have conceded 2 in the last 4 gameweeks. That is structure. The computer gives Millwall a 10% chance. I give them a 10% chance of finding a full eleven. Back in the day, we had sense. Birmingham 2-0 Millwall. Write it down.

Gerry’s call: Birmingham 2–0 Millwall

West Brom v Southampton

Gerry’s preview: Tuesday misery for Baggies

Tuesday night football again. The light is fading, the enthusiasm is gone, and West Brom are 5th on 24 points. Southampton are 2nd on 27. A three-point gap, which usually means two teams of similar quality, or one team with a slightly better spreadsheet. Here, it looks like the latter.

Southampton have won 4 and drawn 1 in their last 4 gameweeks, scoring 9 and conceding 3. That is not just form; that is a system. Away, they are unbeaten in their last 4, with 2 wins, a draw and a loss. They have also won 3 of the last 5 meetings against West Brom. History suggests they know how to play here. West Brom have scored 9 and conceded 6 in the same period. A net of 3. It is like trying to fill a bucket with a sieve while it is raining.

The injury list is the real story. West Brom are missing Collyer, Galves, and Johnston. Johnston has a broken leg. That is not a medical issue; that is a career highlight reel. Meanwhile, Southampton’s Larin is questionable with a hamstring issue. He is worth £10.8m and owned by 12% of managers. If he plays, he is the difference. If he does not, the game becomes a battle of mediocrity.

On the Striker Force front, West Brom have Heggebø and Price, both with 2 goals in the last 4 gameweeks, yet neither is owned by 0% of managers. That is a market failure of epic proportions. Morgan has 1 goal, is up £6.8m to £9.8m, and is also owned by 0% of managers. Ignorance is a powerful force, but not in the Premier League.

The computer gives West Brom a 10% chance, the draw 45% and Southampton 45%. A 10% chance for the home team. The computer must have mistaken the pitch for a car park. It is a Tuesday. The light is failing. The players are tired. West Brom 1-1 Southampton. Write it down.

Gerry’s call: West Brom 1–1 Southampton

Huddersfield v Luton

Gerry’s preview: A Tuesday night that will ruin your evening

Huddersfield are top of League One on 28 points. Luton are 4th on 23. The gap is five points, but the drama is manufactured. It is 19:45. The light is already failing. We are supposed to be watching a top-four clash, not waiting for the sun to go down so we can go to bed.

Huddersfield have won 4 and drawn 1 in their last 5 matches, scoring 13 and conceding 4. That is structure. At their own ground, they have kept their record clean in the last 4 games, with 2 wins and 2 draws. They are not scoring at will, but they are not giving anything away. In my day, we called that solid. Now it is a title charge.

Luton have won 5 and lost 1 in their last 6, scoring 14 and conceding 6. They are attacking, which is nice, but away from home they have won 2 and lost 2 in the last 4. The road is a different place. They also have N. Wells with 3 goals in the last 4, priced at £19.2m, yet only 3% of managers own him. J. Clark has 2 goals, up £6.8m to £9.8m, and 0% ownership. You are all missing out on the cheap options, but at least you are not paying for the expensive ones.

The head-to-head is even: Huddersfield 1 win, Luton 2, 1 draw in the last 4 meetings. It is a battle. The computer gives Huddersfield a 35% chance, the draw 35%, and Luton 30%. A 35% chance for the home team to win when they are top. The model clearly prefers the draw, which is the only sensible outcome in a Tuesday night league game.

Huddersfield will be more disciplined. Luton will be more reckless. The home side will hold on. It will not be a classic. It will be a Tuesday. Huddersfield 2-1 Luton. Write it down.

Gerry’s call: Huddersfield 2–1 Luton

Wigan v Mansfield Town

Gerry’s preview: Wigan's misery: A 45% chance of nothing

Mansfield have 18 points. Wigan have 10. The gap is not a margin; it is a gulf. Wigan have lost 4 of their last 6 league matches and conceded 10. That is a defensive unit that has given up. Mansfield have scored 10 in their last 4. They are playing football. Wigan are playing defence, badly. The computer gives Wigan a 45% chance. I give them a 45% chance of the ball hitting the net. In my day, we ran. Now we just stand there and hope the other team scores. Tuesday 19:45 is sensible. The light is not. Wigan 0-2 Mansfield Town. Write it down.

Gerry’s call: Wigan 0–2 Mansfield Town