Preston hoodoo continues against 10 men

Just when Coventry City fans thought that the Preston hoodoo was about to be ended, with the opposition down to ten men and a 1-0 lead, a brief loss of concentration gave the home side an equaliser. Many fans would have taken a point at kick-off against one of the best home sides in the division but at the end of the game there was a sense of disappointment and a feeling that two points had been dropped. It's now 24 league games at Deepdale without a victory with nine draws and 15 defeats. One wonders if the Sky Blues will ever get their first win at North End.

Liam Lindsay, red-carded for fouling Haji Wright late in the first half, set an unwanted record by becoming only the second opposition player to receive two red cards against the Sky Blues. Previously, Lindsay got his marching orders in the 84^th minute of the City v Preston match at the CBS in 2022 for a second yellow for a foul on Viktor Gyokeres with the score 0-0. There was drama however in the last few minutes of the game with Fankaty Dabo conceding an 89^th minute penalty and also receiving a red card. Daniel Johnson converted the penalty kick seemingly to win the points for Preston but Fabio Tavares had other ideas. Brought on as eight minutes added time commenced, the young striker hit a spectacular goal in the 98^th minute to earn a deserved point for the Sky Blues.

The other double red card man was Chris Whyte who was sent off playing against City for both Arsenal and Leeds United. In 1984 he received his marching orders in Arsenal's 4-1 win at Highfield Road during the period that Bobby Gould's men were tumbling down the table. Whyte, who later played a single game for the Sky Blues on loan in 1995, scored the first Arsenal goal and Stewart Robson, another who later played for City scored the second before taking over in goal after Pat Jennings was injured. Whyte's red card was given after he retaliated to a Graham Withey challenge.

Then, in 1993, Whyte was centre half in the Leeds team that drew 3-3 with City in the final game of the season. He was ordered off after 60 minutes after his second offence with Leeds losing 2-1. Peter Ndlovu added a third to earlier goals by John Williams and Micky Quinn before, in a frantic finish, Rod Wallace scored in the 89^th and 93^rd minutes to complete a hat-trick and earn a 3-3 draw.

Lindsay is the fourth opponent to be red carded this season – the other three have all been at the CBS – and the first time the Sky Blues haven't gone on to win the game. City have, to date, not received a single red card this season.