Bamford named EFL player of the month for Decemberpublished at 13:57 GMT 16 January
13:57 GMT 16 January
Image source, Getty Images
Sheffield United striker Patrick Bamford has won the English Football League's player of the month award for December.
Bamford scored four goals across the Blades' six Championship games in December, including a double in their thrilling 5-3 defeat against Wrexham.
"I'm really happy. I'm surprised, I guess, a little bit because I wasn't ever thinking about any individual awards and that was the least of my priorities when coming in, but I think it's testament to the group and the staff and the players," Bamford said., external
"I know it's an individual award, but obviously, as a striker, you can't do it without your team-mates, so I owe a lot to them for that."
He beat Norwich forward Jovon Makama, Preston goalkeeper Daniel Iversen and Leicester midfielder Bobby De Cordova-Reid for the award.
Heckingbottom hopes Armstrong returns from Evertonpublished at 11:06 GMT 16 January
11:06 GMT 16 January
Media caption,
'We have to make sure we don't finish this [transfer] window in a weaker place than we came into it' - Heckingbottom
Preston North End boss Paul Heckingbottom has confirmed he is preparing for Everton midfielder Harrison Armstrong to return to the club before the end of the Championship season.
The 18-year-old was recalled by the Toffees on New Year's Day to cover for a depleted squad, but the North End boss still harbours hope that the Liverpudlian will return to complete his loan spell at Deepdale.
"I'm preparing for him to come back," Heckingbottom told BBC Radio Lancashire.
"It's not down to me. You hope for the best and prepare for the worst.
"If something happens with Harrison and he doesn't come back, we need to fill that one [spot in the squad]."
In a boost to the squad, defender Lewis Gibson will be in contention for Saturday's Championship home game against Derby County (15:00 GMT).
The 25-year-old has missed 14 league games with a thigh injury but played 45 minutes on his return to action in Friday's FA Cup defeat by Wigan.
"He's trained now - when we get to the Derby game - for almost a month," Heckingbottom added. "He's in a good place, he's happy.
"You can see when someone's not considering the previous injury in how they are playing in training so yeah, he's fine."
Pick of the stats: Preston North End v Derby Countypublished at 12:08 GMT 15 January
12:08 GMT 15 January
This fixture dates back to the very first Football League season when Preston won both games on their way to an unbeaten campaign which saw them crowned England's first champions.
Derby finished that season third from bottom and had to apply for re-election.
Preston are looking for their first league double over Derby since the 2020-21 campaign following their 1-0 win earlier this season.
Derby County have lost just one of their past 10 away league matches against Preston North End (W5 D4), going down 3-0 in 2020-21.
Since the start of November, only Watford (1) have lost fewer Championship games than Preston North End (2), while only Ipswich (28) and the Hornets (26) have won more points in that time than the Lilywhites (24).
Derby have scored in each of their past 16 Championship matches, the longest ongoing run of any side. It is their best run of scoring at this level since an 18-game run between December 2019 and July 2020.
Derby County have faced 75 shots more than they have had themselves when they have been drawing in Championship games this season which is the worst differential of any side when level.
Bamford, Makama, Iversen & De Cordova-Reid up for PotMpublished at 11:49 GMT 15 January
11:49 GMT 15 January
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Sheffield United striker Patrick Bamford and Norwich forward Jovon Makama have been nominated for the Championship's player of the month award for December along with Preston goalkeeper Daniel Iversen and Leicester midfielder Bobby De Cordova-Reid.
Bamford signed an 18-month contract with Sheffield United earlier this month having initially joined on a short-term deal in November.
The 32-year-old has scored six goals in 11 appearances for the Blades, including four in December.
Norwich's Makama is the Canaries' leading scorer this season with 12 goals in all competitions.
He scored twice in a victory over Southampton last month, once in a draw at Preston and the winner against Charlton - those goals worth a valuable seven points to a relegation-threatened Norwich side.
Iversen has kept eight clean sheets for Preston so far this season and vital saves against the leaders Coventry and Stoke in December helped the Lilywhites into fourth place.
With four goals in six games, meanwhile, De Cordova-Reid had a prolific December for Leicester as he scored in three successive matches.
The winner will be announced on Friday, 16 January.
Gossip: Championship rivals eye strikerpublished at 10:41 GMT 13 January
10:41 GMT 13 January
Middlesbrough, Preston and Blackburn all sent scouts to watch 28-year-old Barnsley striker Davis Keillor-Dunn, who has 14 goals for the Tykes this season, in action against Liverpool on Monday night. (Pete O'Rourke, external)
Gossip: North End in battle with Bluespublished at 11:06 GMT 12 January
11:06 GMT 12 January
Birmingham City are set to battle Preston North End for the signing of Celtic's South Korean international wide-man Yang Hyun-jun, 23. (The Herald - via subscription, external)
'A frustrating performance' - Heckingbottom on FA Cup exitpublished at 22:56 GMT 9 January
22:56 GMT 9 January
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Preston boss Paul Heckingbottom spoke to BBC Radio Lancashire following North End's 1-0 defeat by Wigan in the FA Cup third round:
"From the first minute, we weren't playing how we want to play.
"I'm not talking about loose passes, a lack of energy or anything like that. I'm on about the things we constantly work on that I think give us an edge and we didn't do it.
"Everything to do with organisation really, things we pride ourselves on, we weren't as good as we normally are and it makes the game harder for yourself.
"One thing we've been pretty good as a group is reflecting properly, being really honest and then trying to put it right, so we'll do that again.
"It's just a frustrating performance. You get them, but you don't want to have them. We all feel the same because they've been few and far between."
You can also listen to today's 5 Live commentaries on most smart speakers. Just say "ask BBC Sounds to play Preston v Wigan" or "ask BBC Sounds to play Wrexham v Nottingham Forest".
Armstrong return to Preston is 'an option'published at 17:29 GMT 8 January
17:29 GMT 8 January
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'The decision is about what's best for Harrison [Armstrong] over the longer piece' - Heckingbottom
Preston boss Paul Heckingbottom says Harrison Armstrong returning to Deepdale this season is "an option", if that's the best thing for his development.
The 18-year-old midfielder made 13 Championship starts after joining North End on deadline day in September but was recalled by parent club Everton on 1 January and came off the bench for the Toffees in Sunday's defeat by Brentford before starting Wednesday's 1-1 draw with Wolves.
Heckingbottom said he had been in regular contact with Everton boss David Moyes, who used to both play for and manage Preston.
"From my point of view Harrison's job is to get in the Everton team and stay there," Heckingbottom told BBC Radio Lancashire.
"But I also think we are involved in a process where the decision is what's best for Harrison over the longer piece.
"It's what's going to put him in the best position for Everton for the start of next season.
"We're an option for them in that respect. Harrison would want to come back to us if that were the case and David would want him to come to us.
"It's valuable experience, he's enjoyed his time here. We can offer him a lot. But if Everton can offer him that he'll stay there."
Heckingbottom said there were no new signings imminent, but midfielder Stefan Thordarson's reported move to German side Hannover 96 "is real" as the 27-year-old Iceland international seeks regular playing time.
"There will be lots of effort until the window closes but there's nothing imminent, nothing close to getting done," said Heckingbottom.
"We'll keep working. We're fine-tuning. We have got to work hard. Finding the players you think can help you is the easy bit, getting them in is the hard bit," he added, while saying fees and wages freed up by Thordarson's departure could be reinvested in the squad.
Gossip: Thordarson set for Germanypublished at 10:40 GMT 8 January
10:40 GMT 8 January
Preston's Iceland international midfielder Stefan Thordarson, 27, is set for an £800,000 move to Bundesliga 2 side Hannover 96. (Lancashire Post, external)
Gossip: Villa's Munroe catching the eyepublished at 11:11 GMT 5 January
11:11 GMT 5 January
Preston North End and Leyton Orient are among those interested in a loan deal for Aston Villa left-back Finley Munroe, 20, as the Englishman continues to impress during his loan spell with League Two side Swindon Town.(Football Insider), external
'A really strong away performance' - Heckingbottompublished at 18:25 GMT 4 January
18:25 GMT 4 January
Image source, Shutterstock
Preston North End boss Paul Heckingbottom expressed his delight after his side's 2-0 victory at Bristol City which saw the Lilywhites climb up to fourth in the Championship standings.
A second successive win in the space of four days was enough for Heckingbottom to label his side's performance "really strong".
He told BBC Radio Lancashire after the full-time whistle: "A really strong away performance. Some big individual performances as well, and a good finish to these four games we've had in 10 days.
"We've had six days of travelling and three overnight stays so it's big credit to all the group because everyone on the pitch has been fantastic.
"I thought we were dangerous all game and probably the only blemish on that game was not creating more goalscoring opportunities.
"I consider Bristol [City] one of the most dangerous teams in the league for two main reasons - how they counter-press and how they counter. They've had the most shots on target from counter-attacks, second-most clear-cut chances in the league, which shows you how dangerous they are and shows you how well we defended."
'I will certainly send Armstrong back' - Moyespublished at 15:16 GMT 2 January
15:16 GMT 2 January
Image source, Getty Images
Everton boss David Moyes has said he would like to see midfielder Harrison Armstrong return to Preston North End and help earn the Championship side promotion.
Armstrong was on a season-long loan to the Lancashire club but has been recalled after injuries have left the Premier League side's squad depleted.
Though Moyes, who spent five years at Deepdale as a player before beginning his managerial career with the club, would be keen on seeing Armstrong head back to finish out his loan term.
"The truth is that I would like him to go back to Preston and for them to get promoted," Moyes told BBC Radio Merseyside.
"They're my old club, it's where I played and managed. They are doing well.
"I've watched him quite regular and he's been doing a good job. If things allow me, then I will certainly send him back because I think it's really good for his education and where he is at. But we need him at the moment. If he does well then we will keep hold of him.
"We've only had him in for one day since being back but it's easy for him to settle back in. This is his parent club."
Image source, Getty Images
