Preston manager Paul Heckingbottom lauded Milutin Osmajic following the forward's two-goal performance in the 3-0 victory over Watford, as the player awaits the verdict on his biting charge. Osmajic made his first Championship start of the season at Deepdale, just six days after being charged by the Football Association for allegedly biting Blackburn defender Owen Beck during a 0-0 draw on September 22. Although Preston director Peter Ridsdale stated on TalkSport that the Montenegro international had accepted the charge, no further statement has been issued by the FA, allowing Osmajic to remain available for selection. He scored in the 53rd and 65th minutes, with Ali McCann adding a superb goal in the 75th minute.
Heckingbottom commented on Osmajic: “I was impressed with him. He scored goals for us in the cup, played well against Fulham, and deserved his opportunity. I’m not going to punish him twice, the club twice, the fans twice. We’ll wait and see what the governing body does, and how we deal with that, and that process is ongoing.”
New Stoke manager Narcis Pelach revealed that a conversation with Tom Cannon was pivotal to the striker's impressive display in Stoke's 6-1 Championship win over Portsmouth. Cannon, who was substituted at half-time in the 2-0 defeat at Middlesbrough, justified his starting role with two goals in each half, becoming the first Stoke player to score four times in a game since Peter Thorne 24 years ago. Sam Gallagher and Andrew Moran also scored their first goals for Stoke, contributing to Pelach's first win as Stoke boss. Mark O’Mahoney had equalised before Portsmouth's defense faltered.
Pelach said: “I replaced him and said: ‘I cannot be waiting for performances in the middle of a game. I needed to do what was right for the team. But I want to let you know I am going to back you. Three, four, five bad performances will not change my opinion about you’. I know he is a good player but he needs game time. Life is about confidence and I have confidence in him. I told him, ‘you need to feel free and you will start again’. I want to base something that is based on trust. He is a young player so we need to be supportive and tonight he got his reward.”
Sheffield United extended their unbeaten Championship start and climbed to third place after a 1-0 victory over Swansea at Bramall Lane. The visitors’ defender Josh Tymon’s first-half own goal proved decisive, while the hosts also hit the woodwork twice in the second period, securing their fifth league win of the season. Liam Manning expressed disappointment over the booing from Bristol City fans after his team failed to break down a well-organized Sheffield Wednesday side in a goalless draw. Visiting center-back Di’Shon Bernard excelled, and Wednesday goalkeeper James Beadle made the two best saves; from an Anis Mehmeti header and a stoppage-time shot from substitute Mark Sykes. Bristol City goalkeeper Max O’Leary did not have to make a testing save, but the final whistle brought negative reactions from the stands.
Manning said: “I guess it’s the way of the world. The lads didn’t deserve it because they put in a great shift and there were so many positives to take out of the performance. I would rather talk about that than the booing. But obviously it affects players and tonight it was disappointing, as well as unhelpful. I can’t control it, but it was unfair.”
