West Brom extended their unbeaten run to eight matches with a convincing 2-0 win over Preston at Deepdale, moving further away from the relegation zone in the Championship. Josh Maja's 11th-minute strike and Daryl Dike's 77th-minute finish sealed the victory for the Baggies, who are now five points clear of the drop zone with three games remaining. The win marked a significant turnaround for interim boss James Morrison, whose side had suffered a defeat to Oxford in his first game in charge but have since gone unbeaten.
Preston, on the other hand, struggled to find their rhythm, with their first notable chance coming in the 30th minute when Alfie Devine glanced a cross wide. The introduction of Thierry Small at halftime failed to spark a reaction from the hosts, and West Brom's victory was all but sealed when Dike scored his side's second goal.
Preston's manager, Paul Heckingbottom, expressed his disappointment with the performance, stating that it was one of the worst of the season. In contrast, James Morrison praised his team's performance, highlighting their control of the game and the importance of the goals scored at crucial times.