Prediction methodology

What a preview is

A preview is an evidence-led read on the next fixture. It is not a prediction in the sense of "we promise this outcome". It is a structured summary of the form, the availability and the shape, with the open question named.

How we write a preview

1. Form, with a defined window. We pick a window (last five, last ten, season-to-date) and stick to it. Another analyst using the same window should arrive at the same chart.
2. Availability, named. Out, doubtful, late fitness tests — all of these are sourced. We name the player and the source.
3. Shape, with the open question. Where there is a real tactical question, we state it. Where there is no read, we say so.
4. What we're watching. We list the three or four things we will be looking for during the fixture. The list is the analyst's checklist, not the reader's.

The data we use

• The official league feeds and the verified broadcaster data.
• The team's press-conference round-up and the verified injury report.
• The surface, venue, weather and time-of-day conditions.
• The historical head-to-head, where the sample size is large enough to be meaningful.

What we will not do

• We will not promise an outcome. We will not write "this team will win".
• We will not paraphrase a non-answer from a press conference into a "they are confident" claim.
• We will not invent a tactical pattern the data does not support.
• We will not call a preview a "prediction" in the betting sense. This is editorial coverage, not a tip.

Last updated: 16 July 2026.