Preston North End

Image source, Rex Features

Preston boss Paul Heckingbottom praised Daniel Iversen after the goalkeeper's blunder led to Millwall's equaliser in the 1-1 draw at The New Den.

"It was a beauty, wasn't it? I've seen a few of them before from goalkeepers – it's never nice when it happens to your team," Heckingbottom told BBC Radio Lancashire.

"I'm really pleased he made a good save in the second half because other than that he was pretty quiet.

"He came for a good cross at the end but again he was protected really well by the team in front of him.

"He's a great character. He's played a lot of games and he knows how valuable he is to us. It's just frustrating when it does cost you points in a game.

"There were good moments but second half I loved the mentality we showed and how combative we were. I really enjoyed the second half."

Image source, Opta

Fifth hosts fourth on Saturday lunchtime (12:30 GMT) as in-form Preston head to Millwall.

The Lilywhites battled to a 2-1 win over Swansea on Wednesday night to make it three straight wins and climb one point and one place above the Lions.

Alex Neil's men were humbled 4-0 at Birmingham on Tuesday and have now taken a single point from their past two games after a four-match winning run before that.

• Millwall are unbeaten in each of their past 12 league meetings with Preston North End (W7 D5), and are only currently on a longer active unbeaten streak against Charlton Athletic (13).

• Preston North End have only won one of their past nine away games against the Lions in league competition (D3 L5), winning 3-1 in February 2019 thanks to goals from Andrew Hughes, Tom Clarke and Sean Maguire inside the opening 30 minutes.

• Millwall were beaten 4-0 in midweek against Birmingham City; their second four-goal defeat of the season, having also lost 4-0 to Coventry last month – it is the first time the Lions have suffered multiple defeats by at least four goals in a league campaign since 2014-15: 1-5 v Middlesbrough and 1-6 vs Norwich.

• Preston North End have won each of their past three Championship matches, just one fewer victory than they had managed in their previous 19 league games (W4 D7 L8).

• Former North End and now Millwall boss Alex Neil is unbeaten in his three home games against Paul Heckingbottom in the Football League, with each of those games coming against a different team: Preston 1-1 Barnsley in September 2017, Preston 3-1 Leeds United in April 2018 and Stoke City 3-1 Sheffield United in October 2022.

Preston North End held on for a 2-1 win over Swansea City on Wednesday to make it three league victories in a row, despite a lacklustre attacking performance.

The Lilywhites registered just four shots compared to the Swans' 18, but managed to claim all three points after going 2-0 up inside 50 minutes.

"I've got a headache, my voice is gone, I think I had a mini heart-attack second half, it was hard work," manager Paul Heckingbottom told BBC Radio Lancashire.

"I'm probably over the moon with it for all the wrong reasons.

"We've won a game where we weren't at our best. We've had to really be resilient, really dig deep."

A Thierry Small wonder goal put North End ahead after eight minutes, with Milutin Osmajic doubling the lead early in the second half but the sub-par performance has given Heckingbottom cause for concern.

"We were nowhere near where we want to be today. We started with energy but were poor with the ball."

With North End looking to return to the top flight for the first time since 1961, their ability to grind out results despite unconvincing performances brings encouragement for the side who currently sit fourth in the table.

"I think we can manage games pretty well so for us to go two up was a big, big thing, but we never wrestled control of the game," Heckingbottom said.

Next up is a visit to Millwall on Saturday (12:30 BST), who are just one point behind Preston. A win could move Heckingbottom's men into second in the Championship going into the final international break of the year.

Listen to the full interview with Paul Heckingbottom and more North End on Sounds.

Preston North End will look to strengthen their position in the top six as they host Swansea City on Wednesday (19:45 GMT).

Following Tuesday's results, the Lilywhites cannot be displaced from their sixth spot but can climb to fourth should they earn themselves a third successive win at Deepdale.

Swansea, meanwhile, can extend their distance from the bottom three into double digits and drag themselves further up into the midtable.

• Preston North End have lost only one of their last nine home league games against Swansea City (W5 D3), going four without loss at Deepdale to the Swans since a 1-0 loss in September 2020 (W3 D1).

• Swansea City are unbeaten in their last three league meetings with Preston North End (W2 D1), keeping a clean sheet in the last two – they last went three in a row against PNE without conceding in 1930.

• Preston North End have lost only five of their 30 home league games since the start of last season, but PNE have drawn more home Championship matches than any other side in that period (W11 D14).

• Swansea City failed to win a single midweek (Tue/Wed/Thu) away league game between November 2022 and October 2024 (P12 D5 L7), but have since won on three of their six midweek trips (D1 L2).

• Preston North End's Daniel Jebbison has scored in two of his last three home appearances in the league (two goals), having gone 24 home outings without a goal prior.

Preston North End assistant manager Stuart McCall says he has been impressed by Harrison Armstrong's performances this season.

Lilywhites midfielder Armstrong, 18, joined on loan from Everton in the summer as one of 12 new signings.

The England Under-19's player made 15 appearances for Derby last season, and has already made nine league appearances for Preston this campaign.

"He [Armstrong] is doing ok - but he needs to stay with us until the end of the season there is no doubt about that," McCall said.

"I looked at all his games he played at Derby. It was his maturity, at Derby, they were fighting for their lives at the the time when he went in, and it was more him doing bits of the game people don't see.

"For an 18-year-old his game intelligence was very good, he is such a popular lad in the dressing room and he gets on with the young and the old.

"I thought he would be good when we managed to get him, and we had to wait until the deadline, but he has been worth it, and better than I would have imagined."

Preston have won their last two games - against Sheffield United and Southampton - and are sat just inside the play-off places in sixth.

"We are always aware of the opposition, and you have got to respect them," McCall told BBC Radio Lancashire.

"But we have to concentrate on ourselves - we have got to keep putting in performances."

Preston North End winger Lewis Dobbin believes his side can go "toe-to-toe" with any team in the Championship.

The 22-year-old joined the club on loan from Aston Villa in the summer and has helped the club rise to sixth in the table.

"My goal when I arrived here was to add more goals and assists into my game, so it is a good start and hopefully it can continue," Dobbin told BBC Radio Lancashire.

"We want to aim as high as possible in this league so consistency is a massive part of that and we have already shown that we can do that and go toe-to-toe with any team in the division.

"This is my fourth loan in my career now, so it is good experience. I just want to play as much football as possible and try and improve my game.

"Obviously coming here and starting so well, I can definitely see myself improving."

Jack Bridge
Fan writer & Commentator

Image source, Getty Images

If you've been following Preston North End closely, the transformation from last season's struggles to this season's exciting challenge to push further up the table is impossible to ignore.

Beyond the surface, the numbers tell a story of real progress – a team evolving tactically and mentally to reinstall the "Proud" in Proud Preston.

Last season, Preston's attack couldn't quite find its cutting edge, with an average of just 1.04 goals per game and a shaky conversion rate from the chances created.

This season, the stats paint a different picture.

Preston now average nearly 12 shots per game, and their expected goals (xG) of 1.32 align closely with their actual goals scored (1.31).

The attack is sharper, more clinical, and the chances created are of higher quality.

This is a team confidently taking its opportunities rather than scraping for scraps.

The summer recruitment looks to be the reason behind the shift, bringing in young, hungry, gifted players who are so likeable and have been a joy to watch so far this year.

Possession remains modest at around 46%, showing Paul Heckingbottom's pragmatic approach.

The focus isn't on dominating the ball but on using it intelligently.

Progressive passes have increased, pushing the attack higher up the pitch and creating real threats in the final third. The team strikes a fine balance between patient build-up and sharp transitions.

Defensively, the difference is stark. Although the personnel haven't changed, the quality of their performances has.

The goals conceded per game have dropped from 1.28 to under one per match (0.92), and are outperforming their expected goals against (1.32 xGA).

This means the defence is not only more structured but also rising to the challenge when opponents create danger.

There are more tackles and blocks per game, reflecting a pressing, combative mindset that was missing last year.

The clean sheet rate has almost tripled (second best in the league), providing the foundation for those vital wins. Equally, 'keeper Daniel Iversen isn't having to work too hard, he's only making 2.2 saves per match, but when he is called into action, he's looking like the best signing of the summer.

Watching the team play, you can almost see the numbers come alive. The average positions show a compact, disciplined shape.

Midfielders and defenders hold their lines tightly, minimising gaps and forcing opponents wide. This tactical refinement enables swift defensive recovery and quick, incisive counter-attacks, the hallmark of a team growing in confidence and cohesion.

The victory over Southampton at the weekend was more than just three points; it was another hardworking team effort where we outfought the opposition.

Against a club with greater resources and squad depth, North End showed they can compete toe to toe with anyone in this league.

The team's energy, tactical discipline, and will to win were clear for all to see, giving the 1,000+ travelling fans plenty of cause to celebrate the long journey back home to Lancashire.

One of the key drivers behind this resurgence is the mindset shift. Heckingbottom, known for fostering a high-performance environment, has infused the squad with an unshakeable mentality of competitiveness and resilience.

We might not have the biggest budget in the Championship, but he doesn't let that define the team's ambition.

It's about pride, fighting spirit, and working tirelessly for every point. This culture of grit and determination has become the club's trademark this season, and under his leadership, it's been a huge part of why Preston are now matching, and often exceeding, all those pre-season "expert" opinions.

The team looks like one that understands its strengths and plays with conviction. From key tackles to precise through balls, the stats back up the bright performances on the pitch.

This turnaround isn't just in numbers, it's in spirit. And if this detailed evidence of progress tells us anything, it's that North End are going really well, but tougher tests are still to come.

The players are going to need us, the fans, to help maintain this brilliant start to the season.

Preston North End boss Paul Heckingbottom said that his side "were terrific" in their away win at Southampton.

The Lilywhites scored in the first half through Lewis Dobbin and doubled their lead in injury time when Mads Frokjær-Jensen fired the ball into the net.

The win moves Preston up into the play-off positions in sixth place with 22 points after 13 games.

"I think if you could bottle that and take it away with you as an away performance we'd do that," Heckingbottom told BBC Lancashire.

"We can be better with the ball we know that, but we were terrific, we created good chances and we were very, very good without the ball.

"We were particularly good in the second half and thoroughly deserved it, it takes a lot of work and a lot of discipline for the players to execute that and they were fantastic.

"You can't guarantee anything in this league but I think one thing we have been guaranteeing everyone is a level of performance and if we can look after the bar that we set, it means that the opposition has got to be good to beat us."

Paul Heckingbottom has blasted the 'foolish' scheduling which he feels has contributed to an injury crisis at Preston and beyond.

North End defenders Lewis Gibson and Andrija Vukcevic sustained muscle injuries in the win over Sheffield United which will rule them out for several weeks and they join Ali McCann, Brad Potts, Will Keane, Jordan Thompson, Robbie Brady and Pol Valentin on the sidelines, though Jamal Lewis arrived on a short-term deal as cover on Friday morning ahead of Saturday's trip to Southampton (15:00 GMT).

The victory over the Blades was a third game in six days for Preston immediately after the international break and Heckingbottom said the load on players' bodies amid the intensity of the modern game is leading to more injuries.

He told BBC Radio Lancashire: "It's a blow. We've got too many senior players out.

"Look around the clubs and the injuries. I just find it foolish when lads have been away and you get three games in six days as soon as they come back.

"When you're with the big boys in the Premier League there's people travelling with them, masseurs, squads are big enough to rest and adapt for that - ours is a bit different and it's tough to contend with and it's a consequence of that."

Heckingbottom predicted nothing will change in terms of the scheduling, adding: "It's about the number of games. We had it last year with the [cup runs] and that caught up with us at the end of the season.

"It's just something you have to try and navigate through the season. If you have a bigger squad, more options, you can change things."

Asked to compare the number of injuries with football in the 1970s and 80s, he said: "The bar has raised. The intensity of games, the forces that go through the body increase year on year, it's tough.

"Pitches have improved and there's less tackling but the outputs of players, the amount of sprint distances, are huge, that's why the type of injury is changing - they tend to be big injuries when they happen. They are athletes now."

Southampton will seek to halt their slide down the Championship table as they welcome Preston to St Mary's on Saturday (15:00 GMT).

Saints are 20th, just three points above the drop-zone off the back of one win in their past 11 league games, culminating in last Saturday's 2-1 defeat at Blackburn, their second straight defeat.

After back-to-back defeats, North End's 3-2 come-from-behind win over Sheffield United at Deepdale took them back up to seventh, only outside the play-off places on goal difference.

• Southampton are unbeaten across their past four league games against Preston North End (W3 D1), scoring 11 goals in total during that time.

• Preston North End have lost their past two away league games against Southampton and will be looking to avoid losing three in succession away to the Saints for the first time in the EFL.

• Southampton have drawn each of their past three home league games, last drawing more in succession on home soil between April and September 2009 (four games).

• Preston have won just one of their past 12 away league games (D4 L7), scoring multiple goals just twice during that run though both of those matches finished 2-2.

• Southampton have committed four errors leading to goals this season, the most of any side in the Championship.

On-loan Preston forward Daniel Jebbison has paid tribute to boss Paul Heckingbottom for bringing the best out of him.

Heckingbottom was coach of the Under-23s at Sheffield United when Jebbison came through the ranks at Bramall Lane and was interim boss when he handed the then 17-year-old his Blades debut in a Premier League defeat by Crystal Palace in May 2021.

The Canadian international, now 22, told BBC Radio Lancashire it was an easy decision to reunite with his former boss on loan at Deepdale from Bournemouth this season, revealing: "As soon as he said 'come', I said 'yes, sir.'"

Jebbison played just 181 minutes in Preston's first eight Championship games this term, but has started three of their four games in October, contributing two assists and two goals, including the winner against former club Sheffield United on Friday.

"I had some problems at the beginning of the season with my foot but now it's out of the way, I could find my feet and keep going," he said.

"Being under a great manager that I know very well makes it 10 times easier and the players around me are great people.

"The manager has helped me a lot since I was a kid. It's great to have him. He's always on to me, he has high standards, I know what he wants so I just try delivering in training and in games.

"It kind of gets me going; I like it when someone gets on to me when I'm slacking and I'm likewise with other team-mates - that's how we get better."

Image source, Rex Features

Jack Bridge
Fan Writer & Commentator

Image source, Getty Images

Comeback spirit.

There are games where you hear the final whistle and just know - this day could be a turning point.

Friday night under the lights at Deepdale was one of those. A breathless 3-2 comeback victory over Sheffield United gave us everything: drama, chaos, and fight in classic Championship style.

For 15 frantic minutes, we looked rattled. Sheffield United struck twice early, and, in manager Paul Heckingbottom's words, "we had brain freeze" - but that spell was short-lived.

The Lilywhites found their backbone before the break with a superb finish from Lewis Dobbin, grabbed an extremely lucky equaliser, and never looked back. Daniel Jebbison's brilliant finish made it three, and Deepdale erupted.

These moments, when a team refuses to fold and rallies the crowd behind them, are what Preston's history is built on. I still reminisce about games under the lights, where North End and Deepdale find something special – Friday night was another shining example.

Having listened intently to Heckingbottom now for around 15 months, we know he's building a mentality in the squad. Where previously, if the team found themselves 2-0 down, they'd have rolled over and had their bellies tickled – well that attitude is gone... long gone.

The siege mentality and competitiveness is starting to bear fruit. It's us versus everyone and I absolutely love it.

Heckingbottom and his players will not get too high by this win, nor would they have got too low with the two defeats in the six days before the Sheffield United match. Their focus moves on to Southampton next weekend.

Dobbin, still settling in, turned provider, linking well with Andy Vukcevic, Alfie Devine and Jebbison. The new faces are starting to spark, with Vukcevic and Jebbison's connection on display for the winner and young Harrison Armstrong doing the unseen work that makes the difference.

BBC Radio Lancashire's Steve Eyre spoke at the end of last season about how the North End squad had a lack of pace and a lack of ability to get to the end of the pitch – the summer recruitment looks to have gone a long way to fixing those concerns.

Of course, it's not all sunshine: recent injuries have tested our depth, with Ali McCann breaking his arm last week and Brad Potts hit by a setback in his recovery.

With senior figures like Robbie Brady and Will Keane also sidelined, it has been next-man-up, yet the replacements have shown the grit and nous this club is famous for and nobody could question the desire all over the pitch.

We're still chasing consistency, just two wins in eight before Friday, and a narrow defeat to Birmingham City midweek stung, but this was a real statement win and puts us back in the thick of the play-off hunt.

The mood is rising, hope is building, and for every knock and scare, Preston North End now have the ability to fight back.

It's not just something stirring at Deepdale; it's gaining momentum one game at a time.

Andy Bayes
BBC Radio Lancashire Sport Editor

Image source, Getty Images

Preston North End are likely to find out on Monday how long midfielder Ali McCann will be out of action for after breaking his arm in last Tuesday's home defeat by Birmingham City.

McCann sat out North End's 3-2 victory over Sheffield United on Friday, where Paul Heckingbottom named eight substitutes instead of nine due to a lengthy injury list.

Heckingbottom told BBC Radio Lancashire on McCann: "He's broken his arm, he did it on Tuesday night. He had an x-ray, it was really sore. He's got his arm in a sling. He's seeing a specialist on Monday."

North End are already missing Brad Potts, Will Keane, Jordan Thompson and Robbie Brady.

The quartet have not featured at all this season due to injury while Pol Valentin has been another absentee in recent weeks and the Lilywhites also picked up two more injury issues against the Blades in defenders Lewis Gibson and Andrija Vukcevic .

Both sustained muscular injuries and will be assessed before Saturday's visit to Southampton.

The North End boss feels that the Championship schedule is responsible.

"We want tackles in the game but everything is a foul now and everything is player safety yet they'll flog you to death with three games in six days," he said.

"That's the frustrating thing with the powers that be which is nonsense when they're saying 'we don't want tackles because of players injuries.'

"It's not just us, you look at all the other clubs and that is a direct consequence of the schedule."

Andy Bayes
BBC Radio Lancs Sports Editor

Image source, Shutterstock

Preston North End's 3-2 win over Sheffield United was a wonderful advert for the madness, chaos and brilliance that is the Championship.

This really was a joy to watch - and it was a result that North End needed after defeats at West Brom and at home to Birmingham.

Apart from a 20-minute spell, where they very nearly let the game run away from them, they were terrific.

This is a new North End, one that has undergone significant and much-needed change.

On matchday 12 last season, they squandered a three-goal lead to only take a point at Plymouth. Fast forward a year, and only Jordan Storey, Andrew Hughes and Ben Whiteman started this one. Exactly half of the matchday squad from Home Park are no longer with the club.

In their place are a mix of permanent and loan signings who have hit the ground running and given the whole place the refresh it had been craving.

Some might say that Harrison Armstrong, Alfie Devine, Lewis Dobbin and Daniel Jebbison are only on loan. Others (including me) would argue, who cares?

All four are impacting the starting XI. They won't all start every game, but right now with injuries mounting up, they'll be in more often than not.

Armstrong looks a gem.

As soon as he joined North End, the former Everton academy manager David Unsworth told me that he could go right to the top. That sort of recommendation shows just how highly his parent club rates him.

The permanent summer arrivals are doing a fabulous job too. The return of Daniel Iversen in goal is a masterstroke. Odeluga Offiah is highly likely to be money well spent once he beds in completely.

The wide areas have been given an uplift with Thierry Small, Pol Valentin and Andrija Vukcevic all looking the part so far, and Michael Smith offers the Ched-Evans type, Plan B from last season.

The one area of concern has to be the absentee list.

Ali McCann watched from the stand with a broken arm, but he wasn't alone.

Valentin is getting closer to a return, but there's no time frame on returns for Brad Potts, Will Keane, Robbie Brady and Jordan Thompson, who haven't kicked a ball this season.

Muscle injuries to Lewis Gibson and Vukcevic will mean an assessment for them ahead of a trip to Southampton next weekend.

Paul Heckingbottom named eight subs instead of nine for this one; we'll have to see who makes the roll call to the south coast.

But, what a night. The Championship, once again, serving up a treat!

Paul Heckingbottom said his Preston North End side recovered well from their "brain freeze" which handed Sheffield United a two-goal lead at Deepdale.

The Lilywhites manager, whose side bounced back to win 3-2, told BBC Radio Lancashire: "The only abnormality in that game from us was when we had a brain freeze for 15 minutes.

"We started great. From being really dominant, we're one down, and then we give them the second goal.

"That was the worst moment and for the next 10 minutes we just lost discipline and shape - going gung-ho, trying to get the next goal but we weren't playing in a way to hurt them and every time we lost the ball they could break on us again.

"We got back to playing how we were playing at the start, which was going to create chances and shots. That was the message at half-time.

"[Lewis Dobbin] has scored three of those [excellent goals] now but it's a team - he hasn't scored them on his own, it's getting the ball to those positions.

"The third goal was Andy [Vukcevic] doing what he really does well and a fantastic header from Jebbo. I'm pleased for him because his all-round game was great again."

Listen to the full interview with Heckingbottom on BBC Sounds.

Preston defender Lewis Gibson has said he always leaves everything out on the pitch when playing for the club.

Gibson has featured in each of Preston's 11 Championship fixtures this season.

North End host Sheffield United on Friday (20:00 BST) sitting 11th in the table, but knowing that a win would take them into the play-off places ahead of the Saturday fixtures.

Gibson is keen to keep improving and told BBC Radio Lancashire: "I think as games go by you always look at the 10 games mark where you start getting a rhythm.

"I'm feeling confident and I'm grateful, every game I go out there I give my all and that's all you can do. I don't leave a stone unturned with what I can do day to day and game to game so I'm pleased, but I'm always eager that I can do more."

With Preston preparing to host a seemingly revitalised Sheffield United team, Gibson is keen to emphasise the importance of the atmosphere at Deepdale.

"I think this season the results at home have been really positive and to be honest, I liked the other day when it starts to go against us a little bit and you feel a bit of edge in the crowd because I think that did do things,

"I like when you make it a bit hostile and I think it should be a difficult place to come, I think that's what we should aim to do.

"The fans have been brilliant this season, home and away, they've travelled in numbers and we're trying to repay them as best we can."

Listen to the full interview and more on BBC Sounds.