Sheffield Wednesday Match Preview

19 November 2020

The international breaks for 2020 are over and done with and we are now on a run to the new year, with 11 games in 42 days starting with Saturday’s Roses battle.

First Team News

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19 November 2020

Tony Pulis brings Sheffield Wednesday across the Pennines for his first game in charge of the Owls, having replaced Garry Monk in the middle of the two-week stoppage.

The former Stoke City and Middlesbrough boss brings a wealth of experience in the Championship to Hillsborough and it will be a organised side with plenty of quality that arrives at Deepdale on Saturday.

For PNE, manager Alex Neil will hope to welcome back all his international players and possibly some of the long list of injured players he had before his side went into the weekend off.

Match Information
Competition: EFL Sky Bet Championship (12/46)
Date: Saturday 21st November, kick-off 3pm
Venue: Deepdale
Kit: 2020/21 home kit – click here to buy it now!
Head To Head: PNE wins – 44; Draws – 25; Sheffield Wednesday - 43

Team News
Manager Alex Neil had limited defensive options before the international break, with Ben Davies, Andrew Hughes and Patrick Bauer all missing, along with defensive midfielder Ben Pearson and all will be given as long as possible to prove their fitness for the game.

Alan Browne has been isolating after testing positive for Covid-19 whilst on international duty with Ireland and has not yet returned to training with the squad.

New Owls boss Tony Pulis will be without Kadeem Harris, through suspension and defender Aden Flint, who has a hamstring injury.

However, fellow defender Chey Dunkley is on his way back from injury and nearing a return and Dominic Iorfa is in the same boat.

One player who was not originally part of Sheffield Wednesday’s 25-man squad was goalkeeper Keiren Westwood. It has been suggested he could be added to the squad, however, if the Owls have already named 25 players they can only add Westwood in exceptional circumstances, so it will very much depend on what the club have already named and what the EFL deem to be ‘exceptional’.

Match Officials
The match referee for this weekend’s game is David Webb; taking charge of either side for the first time in the 2020/21 campaign.

We saw David three times last season, having officiated the Carabao Cup second round penalty victory over Hull City at Deepdale back in September, November’s 1-0 win over Charlton Athletic and the clash at Fulham’s Craven Cottage just before lockdown.

The Hull City tie was his first game at Deepdale since 2016, when he had the whistle in PR1 for our 2-0 home win over Peterborough United in the middle of the 2015/16 campaign.

In 2018/19 he officiated two PNE games, the away matches at Birmingham City and Derby County.

Overall then he has refereed the Lilywhites on 13 occasions, some of the most memorable games including the FA Cup win at Wycombe Wanderers, when Kevin Davies scored a stunning strike from 35 yards, and a 3-2 home win over Crewe Alexandra in 2011 in the league cup.

Overall this season, he has taken charge of nine games, issuing 30 cautions and one red card. He will be assisted by Jonathan Hunt and Craig Taylor, whilst the fourth official will be experienced Championship official Jeremy Simpson.

Match Coverage
North End fans can watch Saturday’s game live on iFollow PNE, with purchases of a £10 match pass available now.

Jonathan Breeze and former North End skipper Paul McKenna are on commentary duties, with replays, graphics and coverage from the Deepdale from 2.45pm on Saturday afternoon, with special guest Ross Wallace also joining team as a man who played for both clubs.

Click here now to sign up for a match pass

Linked Stories
Alex Neil Looks Ahead To Owls Clash: Preston North End manager Alex Neil is focusing on his side’s preparations for their Roses battle with Sheffield Wednesday this weekend. Click here for the full interview.

A Match To Remember: Back in 2001, North End were hunting down a Play-Off place in their first season back in the Championship as the Owls visited Deepdale in February. Click here for the details.

Daniel Johnson Talks Reggae Boyz Experience: Preston North End midfielder Daniel Johnson got his first taste of international football in the last week, with two games for Jamaica in Saudi Arabia. Click here for DJ’s thoughts.

The One And Only Issue Six: This Saturday’s matchday programme is available for pre-order now, with midfielder Ryan Ledson the cover star. Click here for more information.

A Foot In Both Camps: Former Preston North End and Sheffield Wednesday winger Ross Wallace looks back on his time with both clubs and looks ahead to this weekend’s game, where he will be on iFollow PNE duties. Click here to read more.

Match Reports

Preston North End 1 Sheffield Wednesday 0

21 November 2020

A superb volley from Tom Barkhuizen gave the Lilywhites their first home win of the season, defeating Tony Pulis’ Sheffield Wednesday 1-0 in his first game in charge.

The winger struck with his left foot just after half-time to give Alex Neil’s side the three points against the ten men Owls, who saw Josh Windass sent off for a reckless high tackle on Joe Rafferty after just 17 minutes.

Barkhuizen was one of two changes, with he and Patrick Bauer returning to the side in place of Alan Browne and Jordan Storey for the home side.

After a tentative opening, amidst the artificial crowd noise that had been introduced, the hosts started to get on top and a trio of corners on the quarter of hour mark almost brought an opener; Rafferty’s delivery from the right headed down by Bauer, the ball breaking to Ryan Ledson, who saw his shot blocked by Tom Lees.

The red card came soon after, with Windass giving referee David Webb no option, with a high boot around the upper chest of left back Rafferty.

However, despite making the correct decision with this, there were a lot of questions seven minutes before half-time as to why PNE weren’t awarded a penalty. Scott Sinclair chopped back inside Liam Palmer in the left corner of the penalty area and was brought down, but the huge shouts were oddly waved away.

At the interval the manager made two changes to his side, Paul Gallagher and Jayden Stockley replacing Potts and Rafferty, with a switch to three at the back and it paid immediate divdends.

Ledson delivered a ball into the area and, under pressure from Stockley, Keiren Westwood punched the ball out only as far as Barkhuizen on the edge of the penalty area, just to the left of the ‘D’. The No.29 connected sweetly with a left foot volley that flew back through a crowd into the bottom right-hand corner of the Town End goal, giving Westwood no chance.

The game was then something the Lilywhites could control the tempo of and they did just that. Ben Pearson and Sean Maguire also added to the game and with 11 minutes to go, some great play around the box saw Barkhuizen link up with Pearson to set up Daniel Johnson, who curled a left-foot shot narrowly wide of the right-hand upright.

With the Owls opening up slightly, it meant they were susceptible to the counter and in the closing minutes there were two late chances for a second.

Firstly, Barkhuizen was sent though with four minuets left, but down by Joost Van Aken, who was lucky not be receive Wednesday’s second red of the game – Gallagher firing the resulting free kick past a flatfooted Westwood, but onto roof of bar when going for top right corner.

And in injury time, Pearson was sent away by Sinclair down the left, before putting a great ball in for Barkhuizen, who, in turn, flicked the ball across for Maguire, but it cleared off his foot for a throw in by Julian Bӧrner and the final whistle soon followed.

PNE line-up: Rudd, Fisher, Rafferty (Stockley, 46) Ledson (Pearson, 72), Bauer, Huntington, Barkhuizen, Potts (Gallagher, 46), Riis (Maguire, 71), Johnson, Sinclair. Subs not used: Ripley, Earl, Bayliss, Storey, O’Reilly.

Sheffield Wednesday line-up: Westwood, Palmer, Van Aken, Paterson (Brown, 78), Bannan (c), Reach, Borner, Lees, Windass, Luongo (Pelupessy, 62), Odubajo (Rhodes, 74). Subs not used: Wildsmith, Penney, Dele-Bashiru, Shaw, Hunt, Kachunga.

Referee: Mr D Webb

Standings

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