Preston North End Match v Norwich City Preview

2 January 2020

It’s Emirates FA Cup third round weekend coming up, always a very special day in the football calendar and the Lilywhites are looking for a Premier League scalp at Deepdale.

Ticket News

Ticket Information: Norwich City Home

2 January 2020

Manager Alex Neil faces up against Daniel Farke and his former employers Norwich City, looking to book a place in the fourth round with a victory in PR1.

The tie is a repeat of a game almost exactly five years ago to the day, when the Canaries, then of the Championship, visited League One North End. That afternoon, a Paul Gallagher brace saw PNE to a 2-0 win and eventually a fifth round tie at home to Manchester United – it was also less than a week before Alex Neil was appointed City boss!

This time, it is Premier League versus Championship, with the home side the underdog once again, looking to cause the upset, with the BBC cameras in Town, with Football Focus being presented from the ground and being one of the main games on the evening’s Match of the Day.

The winners will go into Monday night’s fourth round draw, at 7.10pm – on the BBC – with both sides looking to be in the velvet back, but to do that they must win the game that kicks-off at 3.01pm to mark HRH The Duke Cambridge’s ‘Head’s Up’ campaign to raise awareness of mental health issues within males.

For Your Information
Match Details: PNE v Norwich City, Deepdale, Saturday 4th January 2020, kick-off 3.01pm
Competition: Emirates FA Cup Third Round Proper
PNE colours: Home kit, goalkeeper in green
Click here to buy a ticket

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

Ticket Information: Preston North End will host Premier League side Norwich City in the third round of the Emirates FA Cup on Saturday, with tickets still on sale. Click here for more information.

Match Officials: We have one of the country’s top match officials taking charge of Saturday’s Emirates FA Cup third round tie with Norwich City at Deepdale. Click here for details of all the officials.

We’ve Met Before: This will be a 54th meeting between the Lilywhites and the Canaries in all competitions in Saturday’s third round Emirates FA Cup tie at Deepdale. Click here for more details of past battles.

How To Follow The Game: If you can’t make the trip to Deepdale for Saturday’s Emirates FA Cup third round tie, don’t worry, we will have full coverage on PNE.Com and commentary on iFollow PNE. Click here for details of how you can follow the match.

The One And Only Issue 17: Andrew Hughes has got a hat-trick of the kind he didn’t want, with three injuries in a row, but now he hopes the treatment room is a thing of the past, as he told the matchday programme for Saturday’s Emirates FA Cup third round tie with Norwich City. Click here for details of this weekend’s programme.

Team News: Manager Alex Neil welcomed back German defender Patrick Bauer and centre forward David Nugent for the New Year’s Day clash with Middlesbrough. Click here for details of the options.

Alex Neil Looking Forward To Facing Former Club: Preston North End manager Alex Neil is excited at the prospect of facing former employers Norwich City in the third round of the Emirates FA Cup this weekend. Click here for the manager’s full interview.

Emirates FA Cup A Special Competition For David Nugent: There aren’t many Preston North End players down the years who have an FA Cup winners’ medal in the cupboard, but that is the case for striker David Nugent. Click here for more from Nuge.

Match Reports

Preston North End 2 Norwich City 4

4 January 2020

Premier League Norwich City progressed to the fourth round of the Emirates FA Cup with a 4-2 victory at Deepdale.

An early goal from Adam Idah was added to just before the half hour mark by Onel Hernández and despite dominating much of the play and the chances, Idah then adding a long-distance third before half-time and although Billy Bodin pulled one back just after half-time with a close range header, Idah completed his hat-trick with a penalty just after the hour mark, with Josh Harrop grabbing a late second for the home side.

Manager Alex Neil had made nine changes against his former employers, with just Darnell Fisher and Ben Davies retaining their spots from the New Year’s Day clash with Middlesbrough.

And they found themselves behind within 90 seconds when Irishman Idah tan clean through the middle of the North End backline and slid the ball low under goalkeeper Connor Ripley into the bottom right-hand corner of the goal.

The next 25 minutes was dominated by the home side, with multiple chances to draw level. Firstly, Fisher saw a shot saved by Michael McGovern from a knock down by Jayden Stockley from Bodin’s ball into the box.

Shortly after, a superb left-footed cross from Joe Rafferty deep from the left saw Stockley get up at the back post, heading inches wide of the right-hand post.

Moments later Bodin bundled his way through from Tom Bayliss’ pass after Brad Potts’ initial interception, but shot his shot was scuffed and McGovern saved.

At the half’s mid-way point Ryan Ledson saw a shot blocked at back post from Josh Harrop’s deep corner from the right after a good period of pressure from the Lilywhites.

But on 28 minutes the deficit was two as Hernández with Norwich’s just second shot of game, Squeezed the ball through Ripley after an initial save from Idah’s effort.

And it was three when Idah scored from 45 yards seven minutes before half-time. A long ball through saw Ripley clear along the floor outside his area, but the ball fell to the Irishman who lofted it back over the keeper and into the empty net at the first time of asking.

A shot from Rafferty and an overhead kick from Stockley were both blocked as a brace of corners in quick succession followed as the home side were still looking threatening before the interval.

The Lilywhites were on the front foot at the start of the second half too, McGovern smothering a 25-yard effort from Bodin and skipper Christoph Zimmermann putting it behind for a corner.

From that corner on the right by Harrop, Stockley headed goalwards and Bodin was on hand in the six-yard box to head past McGovern into the net to make it 3-1.

Less than 90 seconds later it was almost 3-2 as another Harrop corner – this time an inswinger from the left - was headed an inch wide by PNE captain Ben Davies.

Excellent play by Ledson then forced another good save from McGovern as he won the ball in the middle of the pitch and drive at the heart of the Canaries defence, before firing hard and low towards the bottom left corner, Sam Byram clearing up just in time with Stockley ready to pounce on the rebound.

However, on the hour mark the visitors were awarded a penalty when Ripley was adjudged to have brought down Idah, who looked offside when running through on goal and although the keeper went the right way for the No.35’s effort from 12 yards, he completed his hat-trick with the goal.

Fisher almost reduced the arrears to two again on 65 minutes as he reached Rafferty’s deep cross from the left first, only to see his shot deflected just wide at the back post by Ibrahim Amadou, when it looked like he was set to record his first goal for the club.

Bodin saw another goalbound effort deflected over the bar with 16 minutes left, after being freed by an excellent throughball from Davies and from the resulting corner North End were denied what looked a blatant penalty for handball as North End never gave up their efforts to try and get back in the tie.

The arrears were finally reduced with six minutes left as Harrop pounced for North End's second after an excellent flowing move that eventually saw Ledson play the ball in from the left for Bodin on the edge of the 'D', who then threaded the ball in for the No.10 to collect and fire under McGovern into the bottom right-hand corner.

With 70 seconds left, two stunning saves from McGovern, from Bodin and then Bayliss prevented a very nervy final few minutes for the Norfolk side, getting down low to push away the Welshman's initial effort before getting back up to recover and deny the midfielder on the follow up.

Even in injury time the pressure continued, Bodin again forcing another fine save out of the goalkeeper, before Rafferty's follow up scewed away, but they could not prevent an exit from the cup as Norwich advanced to the fourth round.

PNE line-up: Ripley, Fisher, Rafferty, Ledson, Storey, Davies (c), Bodin, Bayliss, Stockley, Potts, Harrop. Subs not used: Rudd, Pearson, Clarke, Gallagher, Barkhuizen, O’Reilly, Nugent.

Norwich City line-up: McGovern, Byram, Zimmermann (c), Leitner, Hernández, Lewis, Cantwell (Aarons, 82), Stiepermann, Trybull (Hanley, 68), Amadou, Idah (McLean, 86). Subs not used: Krul, Vrančić, Buendia, Tettey.

Attendance: 7,616 (833 Norwich City fans)

Referee: Mr M Atkinson

Ticket News

Ticket Information: Norwich City Home

2 January 2020

Preston North End will host Premier League side Norwich City in the third round of the Emirates FA Cup on Saturday, with tickets still on sale.

First Team News

Match Officials: Norwich City Home

2 January 2020

The Lilywhites kick-off their 2020 cup campaign against manager Alex Neil's former club, and tickets are priced as follows: Adults £15, seniors (65 and over) and 19 to 24-year-olds £10, U19s £5 and U11s £1.

All stands will be open for this game and if you are purchasing your usual season card seat the ticket for this game will be added to your season card. Please note that if you are season card holder and you are not purchasing your season card seat, you will need either a paper ticket or an e-ticket for this game.

Tickets are available to buy online at MyPNE.Com, by calling 0344 856 1966 or in person from the ticket office, which is until 5pm on Thursday and from 9am until 6pm on Friday and again from 9am until after kick-off on matchday.

Hospitality packages are also on sale for both the Invincibles Lounge and Sir Tom Finney Lounge. The package in both lounges includes a one course meal served pre-match, with tea, coffee and cake at half-time, as well as executive seating to watch the match.

The prices in the two lounges for this game are as follows: Adults £40, seniors £35, juniors £25 and U11s £5. Executive boxes are also available and are priced at £599, based on ten people.

To book or for more details please contact the commercial team on 0344 856 1960 or email commercial@pne.com.

First Team News

We’ve Met Before: Norwich City Home

2 January 2020

Paper and print at home normal stand tickets can be purchased online at MyPNE.Com 24/7 right up until two hours before kick-off, with collections available from the Sir Tom Finney Stand collections windows, to the left of the ticket office. The online service is now fully responsive on both mobile and tablet. Or, if you have a member card, you can buy right up until kick-off on MyPNE.Com and load your ticket straight to your card!

For Canaries fans, tickets are available on the day, there will be no increases for matchday purchases and tickets are available for visiting supporters from the away ticket office next to the Bill Shankly Kop on Lowthorpe Road, with cash and card payments accepted, which will open from 1.30pm.

For home fans travelling to the game, the Leyland shuttle bus will be in operation, pick up points and times are as follows: 1.20pm, Leyland Tesco; 1.30pm, Railway Pub Leyland; 1.40pm, Beam and Brycg Pub Bamber Bridge; arrive Deepdale, 2.10pm. Tickets are £3 for a single or £4 return.

Standings

Ticket Information: Norwich City Home

Match Officials: Norwich City Home

We’ve Met Before: Norwich City Home

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