Preston North End

Adam Cottier
BBC Final Score reporter

Paul Heckingbottom bemoaned his side's inability to get the finer details right as they slipped to only their fourth defeat in 16 Championship outings this season.

Losing to two set-piece goals is never a good look, and North End will reflect on them both with regret.

But the wider performance against Blackburn lacked energy and any sort of a consistent cutting edge. North End imposed themselves early and swiftly deteriorated. The second half almost passed them by.

Without the outstanding teenage talent of Everton loanee Harrison Armstrong and the industrious Ali McCann in midfield - two standouts in a sizeable list of absentees - Preston lacked the guile and control that has propelled them to where they are this season.

Heckingbottom has been able to put together a competitive team capable of putting an imprint on the top six; the optimism of the fans underlined by the sell-out home support.

But they can ill-afford the likes of McCann and Armstrong to be missing. They are critical players. McCann, who has been one of North End's most consistent performers in the four years he's been at the club, is sidelined by a broken arm. Armstrong has a muscle injury, the severity of it unclear.

They must now reset for a test at Watford on Tuesday. Preston remain in an outstanding position given they narrowly avoided relegation in May, but they clearly under-performed against their Lancashire neighbours.

Paul Heckingbottom says his Preston North End side were responsible for their defeat by Lancashire rivals Blackburn Rovers.

The Lilywhites could have gone second in the Championship if they had taken the three points, but instead ended the evening fourth.

Heckingbottom told BBC Radio Lancashire: "Sometimes you come off having given your best and you're really pleased with how you played and you can hold your hands up but today, I think it was on us."

"The two stand out things are when you're on top and you miss your chances and then you give two set play goals away, you're going to have to do something special to win the game. So, yeah, disappointed with those two elements really."

North End are away to Watford on Tuesday evening before travelling to Sheffield Wednesday next Saturday for the final game of the month.

You can listen to more from Paul Heckingbottom on BBC Sounds.

If you're wondering where your team is going to finish in the Championship this season, you no longer need to worry.

Well, kind of.

Opta's supercomputer has worked its magic to figure out the most likely final league position of every team - and the chances each has of being promoted, making the play-offs or getting relegated.

Who is most likely to win automatic promotion?

It will come as no surprise that leaders Coventry are heavy favourites for the title (69.3%) and also have the highest chance of automatic promotion (84.2%) to the Premier League.

The next most likely to go straight up, with a 30.8% chance, are Middlesbrough. Despite currently sitting seventh and six points behind Boro in second, Ipswich are expected to be the third favourites for a top two finish (18.9%) followed by Stoke (14.1%).

Even though they've each enjoyed a strong start to the campaign, Preston (10.3%), Hull (6.1%) and Millwall (8.3%) have slimmer chances of finishing in an automatic promotion spot.

Who will make the play-offs?

Image source, Rex Features

Even if Coventry don't win automatic promotion, Opta's supercomputer has given the Sky Blues a 97.9% chance of a top-six finish, suggesting it's almost guaranteed.

Each of Middlesbrough, Ipswich, Preston and Stoke are expected to finish in a minimum of a play-off position at least one in two times.

Hull might feel the hardest done by as they sit fifth currently, but are said to have less chance (32.3%) than Millwall (38.8%) and Charton (32.4%), who are below them in the table.

The most likely of the chasing pack to make a surge up the table are 12th-placed Leicester City, who have been given a 31.8% chance of finishing in the top six and are more likely than Bristol City (28.9%), Derby (22.9%) and Birmingham (19.9%).

Last season's beaten play-off finalists Sheffield United have just a 1.8% chance of recovering their season to make the play-offs again, while relegated Premier League side Southampton (12.5%) aren't likely to either... if you trust the supercomputer!

Who is going down?

Image source, Rex Features

It's probably not hard to work out who is most likely to finish bottom and be relegated to League One.

Sheffield Wednesday's 12-point deduction, which has left them 17 points adrift of safety on -4 points, means they're pretty much nailed on to finish bottom (84.8%) - and failing that, are almost certain to go down (98.2%).

Second from bottom Norwich are the next most likely candidates to fall through the trap door (58.5%) but Sheffield United, who currently occupy the final relegation spot, have just a 22.4% chance of going down and are considered more likely to stay up than Oxford (37.8%) and Portsmouth (31.3%).

We made it through another international break!

The Championship action resumes in style on Friday night (20:00 GMT) as high-flying Preston North End welcome lowly Lancashire rivals Blackburn Rovers to Deepdale.

The Lilywhites are unbeaten in four games and lie fourth but would climb into the automatic promotion places ahead of the Saturday programme with a derby win.

Rovers saw a three-match winning run ended by a home defeat to Derby in their final game before the international break and sit 19th, six points clear of the relegation zone.

• The last three league meetings between Preston and Blackburn at Deepdale have all been drawn with a different scoreline – 1-1 in 2022/23, 2-2 in 2023/24 and 0-0 last season.

• Following a 2-1 win in January, Blackburn Rovers are looking for consecutive league wins over Preston for the first time since doing the double over them in 2021/22.

• Preston North End have 26 points after 15 Championship games this season (W7 D5 L3), their most at this stage of a campaign since 2019/20 (28), going on to finish 9th that season.

• Blackburn Rovers have won their past two away league matches, their third different run of consecutive away wins under manager Valerien Ismael. They haven't won three in a row since a run of four in November and December 2024 under John Eustace.

• Each of Blackburn Rovers' past five Championship goals have been scored by either Andri Gudjohnsen (3) or Yuki Ohashi (2), with Ohashi looking to score in three appearances in a row for the first time

Liam Lindsay says Preston are where they belong in the Championship table but it is too soon for fans to get carried away about a push for the Premier League.

After 15 games, the Lilywhites lie fourth, three points outside the automatic promotion places going into Friday night's derby clash with Blackburn at Deepdale (20:00 GMT).

A win would take North End into the top two ahead of Saturday's fixtures and Lindsay told BBC Radio Lancashire: "As a group we know we should be up in this kind of position in the table. Maybe the gaffer has instilled mentally a different side to us.

"Bringing higher quality players in and raising our standards has got us where we are and long may it continue."

But he urged Lilywhites fans not to get ahead of themselves, adding: "I can understand the excitement about the group, you look at the table and you can see why, but there is a lot of football to be played.

"By all means if it gets to May and we're still up there be as excited as you want."

Lindsay headed a last-minute winner for Preston in the derby at Ewood Park in November 2023.

"I have good memories of this game, another one like that would do nicely," he added.

"What a night it will be, especially under the lights at Deepdale.

"On the day of the game there's a little more nerves than you would usually get, personally speaking, and the game is probably spoken about a bit more during the week."

Lindsay was limited to one start and five appearances off the bench in North End's opening 12 league games but played 90 minutes in each of the last three before the international break, which yielded seven points.

"I've had to bide my time, I was unfortunate through injury," he said. "It's hard coming into a team that's winning every week but I think my experience has helped in that. I feel like I have come in quite seamlessly."

Preston North End boss Paul Heckingbottom has called for continued consistency from his players ahead of Friday's game against local rivals Blackburn Rovers.

He said his side should approach the game against Rovers the same as any other fixture.

"We should be putting no more effort into this than we were the last Friday night against Sheffield United or the last away game against Millwall," he told BBC Radio Lancashire.

"I think we've been doing that because that's why I've been pleased with our consistency if you like in terms of performance level."

Preston are fourth in the Championship after 15 games.

"I would be disappointed if we didn't come and give our best," Heckingbottom added.

"We can't guarantee the result off the back of it but you can guarantee the effort.

"It's our job to try and put the players on the pitch with the belief that we can go out there and carry out a performance that gives us the points."

A bumper crowd is expected at Deepdale.

"It's virtually a sell out," Heckingbottom said.

"We've just got 100 single tickets left, that's it, dotted around the stadium which is really pleasing for me because that's a reflection of how well the players have been doing or probably more importantly how engaged our fanbase is with this team and how much they enjoy watching them so that really brought a smile to my face.

"We try and attack the games and that's us doing our part and the fans have responded with more at home.

"The away following has gone up a notch as well so I think that's all-in-all really positive."

You can listen to more from Paul Heckingbottom on BBC Sounds.

Andy Bayes
BBC Radio Lancashire sports editor

Image source, Rex Features

Preston North End go into the third international break placed very handily indeed.

Pre-season predictions would have had them being nowhere near three points behind second-placed Middlesbrough. It really is a far cry from the way last season ended, that's for sure.

At this stage a year ago, they were 11 points worse off. The draws are still a little on the high side, but the defeats have halved and the victories more than doubled.

This represents their second-best return at this point since returning to the Championship in 2015 - only Alex Neil's team in the Covid impacted season of 2019-20 amassed more.

So what have been the factors in this change?

The biggest one for me is that head coach Paul Heckingbottom had almost a full season to assess what he had and he knew things had to change, albeit with limited finances.

Of the 10 players to leave permanently, only really Emil Riis and Freddie Woodman could be considered first picks. Riis was clear that he was leaving, with the club deciding against a new deal for Woodman.

Following the recent arrival of Jamal Lewis, 13 players have come in, with only Odel Offiah costing a substantial fee. The rest were either free agents, loan signings or players allowed to leave Sheffield Wednesday after their issues paying players.

The change has breathed new life into a club that some of its own supporters felt was treading water and had been perhaps guilty of keeping the same nucleus of a squad for far too long.

With such an influx of new players, the hope is that as many as possible hit the ground running, and in the main they really have.

But it hasn't been straightforward. The physio room has been overcrowded for too long. We're still to see Brad Potts, Will Keane, Robbie Brady and Jordan Thompson this season because of injury - that's a combined 788 Championship appearances across the quartet.

Pol Valentin has missed the past eight games, Ali McCann has a broken arm and is on the long-term list, as is Andrija Vukcevic, and Daniel Jebbison hasn't been involved in six of the 15 games. It's a lot to contend with, which makes the achievements so far all the more impressive.

They'll now have another eight games without striker Milutin Osmajic. Providing all of the matches between now and Boxing Day are played, he'll be suspension-free for a visit to Wrexham on 29 December.

In terms of other key factors for the turnaround, some are pretty simple. They've scored more goals and substantially cut down on the number conceded.

They've got the joint best return for home points in the league. They've won five games already, having only won seven at Deepdale in the whole of last season.

And, importantly, they come out of traps quickly, as well as end games strongly. Of 20 goals scored, 11 have come either in the first 15 minutes or past the 76-minute mark.

Sometimes football can be made far too complicated. The facts are that North End have been great. The hope is that it continues.

The squad is infinitely better than the one they had a year ago and there is no reason why they can't keep this fine form going.

Former Preston North End forward Brett Ormerod says that Lilywhites fans must be "pinching themselves" following their fine start to the campaign.

North End are fourth in the table after a 1-1 draw with sixth placed Millwall on Saturday.

"Anyone would have taken a draw at The Den this year because they [Millwall] are really good at home so it's a fantastic point," Ormerod told BBC Radio Lancashire.

"You only have to look at Birmingham and Wrexham, who have spent massively. They aren't struggling but they are mid-table, they are still trying to find their feet in this league.

"I think a lot of people thought they'd just go and take the league by storm and be straight up at the top and it's not been the case, because this league is so competitive. There's nowhere you can go."

Listen to the full discussion and more Preston North End content on BBC Sounds.

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."