Preston pile pressure on Charlton boss Guy Luzon with big win at The Valley
Preston triumphed 3-0 at Charlton on Tuesday to send the hosts into the Sky Bet Championship's relegation zone and further increase the pressure on head coach Guy Luzon.
The London club's supporters booed their team off at both half-time and full-time and called for Luzon to be dismissed following the latest listless performance that left them without a win in nine, since August 25.
Victory took Preston a point above the 22nd-placed Addicks, having previously been joint-bottom of the league, and ended their own winless run that had stretched back to the same date.
Charlton's lack of confidence - they remained static throughout, consistently gave away possession and made little effort - was the most obvious sign that they require change.
It was El-Hadji Ba conceding possession in the opening minute that resulted in the opening goal. A misplaced pass led to the midfielder fouling Adam Reach on the edge of the area, from where Preston captain Paul Gallagher classily curled his right-footed free-kick over the wall and into the bottom-left corner beyond goalkeeper Nick Pope.
Charlton's morale further declined, even if that had not seemed possible, and to the extent that their first shot on target took until the 27th minute to arrive.
Eventually giving up on his team-mates' ability to find space despite his attempts to create chances for them, Tony Watt opted to shoot from a harmless area - to sarcastic applause from the home fans - and forced only a routine save from Jordan Pickford.
Eight minutes later, that same stationary approach caused Preston's second. Charlton's defence watched Gallagher collect possession from inside the area following a corner they failed to clear, and the striker, under little pressure, curled in across the face of goal into the top-right corner.
The visitors' third came after half-time, in the 62nd minute, and this time following a mis-timed header from Charlton's Morgan Fox. The defender gifted possession to Daniel Johnson, who cut inside to the edge of the area on his left foot and then bent the ball beyond Pope and inside the far post.
For the remainder, Charlton came no closer to scoring, while another close Johnson effort meant Preston should have done at least once.
Luzon is already the fourth manager or head coach to work under Charlton's ruthless owner Roland Duchatelet since he assumed control of the club in 2014. That they conceded three times against a team with only seven goals in their previous 11 league appearances is just the latest indication there will likely soon be a fifth.
Source: PA
