Leeds United v Preston North End Match Preview

23 December 2019

The second half of the season gets underway on Boxing Day with the Lilywhites heading across the Pennines to face Leeds United at Elland Road in a 5.15pm kick-off.

Ticket News

Ticket Information: Leeds United Away

23 December 2019

The second-placed Peacocks entertain the fifth-placed North End in front of the Sky Sports cameras, with both sides looking to cement their positions in the table with a festive three points.

The first game between Alex Neil and Marcelo Bielsa’s sides, back in October, was one for the football students as both managers tried to tactically outdo one another, with North End looking like the victors, until a later visiting equaliser.

This Christmas cracker of a clash looks no less of a thinking man’s game, with the coaches looking to see who can come out on top in front of a sell out crowd in the white rose city.

The hosts lost their first game in 11, to Scott Parker’s Fulham on Saturday, whilst PNE returned from South Wales with a point, where they felt it should have been all three, so both sides will feel they have things to prove on St Stephen’s Day.

For Your Information
Match Details: Leeds United v Preston North End, Elland Road, Thursday 26th December 2019, kick-off 5.15pm
Competition: EFL Championship (24/46)
PNE colours: Green shirts, yellow shorts and socks, black goalkeeper
Click here to buy a ticket

Here’s all the coverage accessible on PNE.Com in preview of the game…

Ticket Information: Tickets remain on sale for the Boxing Day trip to face fellow promotion chasers Leeds United at Elland Road. Click here for more information.

Match Officials: Our Boxing Day match official has not taken charge of a North End game since 1st February, when the game with Derby County ended goalless at Deepdale. Click here for details of who it is.

We’ve Met Before: We start our second half of the season with a trip to face second-placed Leeds United at Elland Road on Boxing Day. Click here for more details of past battles.

How To Follow The Game: If you can’t make the trip to the Elland Road for the 5.15pm Boxing Day game, don’t worry, we will have full coverage on PNE.Com. Click here for details of how you can follow the match.

Team News: Right backs Joe Rafferty and Darnell Fisher sit out the last of their respective three and two match bans for the Boxing Day trip to face Leeds United. Click here for details of the options.

Alex Neil Prepared For Tactical Battle: Preston North End manager Alex Neil is expecting another tactical battle when his side go head to head with Marcelo Bielsa’ Leeds United on Boxing Day. Click here for the manager’s full interview.

Patrick Bauer Ready For First Elland Road Trip: Preston North End centre half Patrick Bauer is looking forward to playing at Elland Road for the first time on Boxing Day. Click here for more from Pat.

Match Reports

Leeds United 1 Preston North End 1

26 December 2019

A deflected 89th minute strike from Leeds United grabbed two points off the Lilywhites, despite Alan Browne’s superb first half opener at Elland Road.

The Irishman had converted after a superb team goal, started by a tackle from Sean Maguire – ten yards outside his own penalty area – mid-way through the first half, which was what the visitors deserved having dominated the first half.

But Stuart Dallas grabbed a point for the home side when his shot from the edge of the box deflected off substitute Ryan Ledson’s back and took it past Declan Rudd into the top right-hand corner.

Alex Neil had lost Patrick Bauer through illness before the game, but was able to recall Ben Davies and made two further changes, bringing Brad Potts and David Nugent in the side; who, as two of the front four, pressed their hosts high from the start and superbly to mean PNE were the dominant force for the first half hour.

Seven minutes in came the first real chance as Kiko Casillas brough down Browne outside the box – and was very lucky not to go into referee Darren Bond’s book – but the Spanish keeper was left stranded as Potts’ shot towards the unguarded net was blocked for the game’s first corner.

Just after the quarter hour mark, there was some great build up play with the ball played into Maguire just inside the box, he laid it off for Browne, who dragged his shot just wide of the left-hand post.

Chances kept coming the way of the green’s and Tom Barkhuizen’s cross from the left saw a flying Nugent inches away with a diving header from beating Casillas.

But the opener came on 22 minutes. Maguire won the ball with a superb track back and found Pearson, whom after a one-two with Potts, sent Barkhuizen away through the middle and he looked up and cleverly played it inside to Browne, who took the ball on with one touch and fired into the bottom right-hand corner with his left foot from the edge of the box with his second touch to silence the home crowd.

If North End dominated the first half, the West Yorkshire outfit had the better of the chances in the latter 45 minutes.

Eight minutes into the second period Dallas had a shot palmed away by Rudd for a corner after a swift throw down the left by Leeds and then on 65 minutes Ezgjan Alioski fired over the bar with an empty net after Helder Costa’s pull back from the right.

Rudd was again on hand to make a superb save from substitute Eddie Nketiah’s header from Helder Costa’s cross from the right on 66 minutes, before Alioski fired against post from 20 yards out with the rebound put behind by Andrew Hughes.

The pressure was being repelled superbly by North End, but with a minute left on the clock the home side grabbed a point. The Whites had put in a period of pressure and the ball was eventually worked out to Luke Ayling on the right side of the penalty area, he set the ball back for Northern Irishman Dallas, who was closed down by Ledson, but his shot came off the midfielder’s back and took it away from Rudd into the top right hand corner.

A frenetic six minutes of stoppage time saw North End with a brace of corners, looking to try and win the game, but it ended all-square.

Leeds United line-up: Casilla, Ayling, White, Cooper (c), Bamford (Nketiah, 64), Alioski, Dallas, Costa, Harrison, Phillips, Klich. Subs not used: Meslier, Douglas, Berardi, Struijk, Gotts, Stevens.

PNE line-up: Rudd, Clarke (c), Hughes, Pearson, Huntington, Davies, Barkhuizen (Harrop, 90), Browne, Nugent (Ledson 69), Potts, Maguire (Stockley, 90). Subs not used: Ripley, Gallagher, Storey, Bodin.

Attendance: 35,638 (801 PNE fans)

Referee: Mr D Bond

Ticket News

Ticket Information: Leeds United Away

23 December 2019

Tickets remain on sale for the Boxing Day trip to face fellow promotion chasers Leeds United at Elland Road.

First Team News

Match Officials: Leeds United Away

23 December 2019

However, our hosts have confirmed that there will be no sales on the day for PNE supporters because the home areas have all sold out.

Tickets will remain on sale up until 12.30pm on Christmas Eve (Tuesday) from the ticket office at Deepdale, over the phone on 0344 856 1966 and online at www.mypne.com.

Any supporters collecting tickets from Elland Road can do so from the away ticket window which is located at the away turnstiles (entrance one and two).

The Lilywhites’ Roses clash is a 5.15pm kick-off on Thursday and we have been given an allocation of 1,006 tickets in thee John Charles West Stand, with prices as follows: Adults £39, seniors (65 and over) and 19 to 22-year-olds £26, 16 to 18-year-olds £20, U16s £18 and U11s £9.

First Team News

We've Met Before: Leeds United Away

23 December 2019

It is advisable that anyone purchasing any concession priced ticket should take proof of age to the game due to checks at Elland Road.

There are 12 pairs of tickets for supporters in a wheelchair and 12 pairs of tickets for ambulant disabled supporters. The price of the tickets is £26 with a carer ticket free of charge.

These tickets are situated in the lower tier with easy access. Ambulant disabled supporters can purchase in the main allocation whoever there are a considerable number of steps to climb.

Coach travel is also available for this game and is priced at £12 per person, with coaches departing Deepdale and Leyland at 2.15pm.

Preston North End

Standings

Leeds United v Preston North End Match Preview

Ticket Information: Leeds United Away

Leeds United 1 Preston North End 1

Ticket Information: Leeds United Away

Match Officials: Leeds United Away

We've Met Before: Leeds United Away

Leeds United Ticket Details

Standings

Ticket Information: Leeds United Away

Match Officials: Leeds United Away

We've Met Before: Leeds United Away

Ticket News

Leeds United Ticket Details

Get closer to the action this season!

Want to be our new signing?