Match Preview: Birmingham City (H)

1 September 2022

Preston North End are back at Deepdale to host Birmingham City this weekend after three successive games away from home.

Match Information
Venue: Deepdale
Date: Saturday 3^rd September, 3pm kick-off
Competition: Sky Bet Championship (Matchday 8/46)
Kit: Home kit – available in-store and online!

Supporter Information

Tickets for this fixture will remain on sale right up until kick-off from the ticket office, while you can also buy online from www.mypne.com or by calling 0344 856 1966.

The matchday shuttle bus service will be running for this fixture, with an extra stop now added in Bamber Bridge. You can find full details on the service by clicking here.

Home supporters can join us in the fan zone at Deepdale before and after the game, with doors opening pre-match at 12 noon, with live music and refreshments on offer, while it will also reopen after full-time.

How To Follow The Game

Fans worldwide are able to listen to the game live on iFollow PNE with a £2.50 match pass or a £4.49 monthly pass. Commentary comes from Guy Clarke and David Buchanan.

Supporters overseas can watch the game live on iFollow; you can subscribe to a £10 match pass by clicking here.

There will also be extensive coverage of the game across our social media channels before, during and after the game.

In The Dressing Room

After limping off with an ankle injury in the midweek victory over Coventry City, Ben Woodburn is expected to go for a scan on Friday to discover the extent of his injury.

Bambo Diaby and Sean Maguire have both been back in training recently, and the Senegalese defender is ahead of the Irishman in his recovery according to Ryan Lowe, but there is a chance both could be available.

Andrew Hughes’ ongoing shoulder injury will also be assessed ahead of the weekend.

A Look At Our Visitors

There’s a new man in the dugout at St Andrew’s this season, with John Eustace taking the reins as head coach, and his side arrive at Deepdale after a mixed start to the Championship season.

They’ve won once, drawn twice and lost on four occasions so far, and they’ll still be hurting from the 93^rd-minute Onel Hernandez goal which saw Norwich City earn a last-gasp victory in the Midlands on Tuesday night.

Birmingham could hand a debut to left back Emmanuel Longelo, on loan from West Ham United, while Hannibal Mejbri – a Manchester United loanee – will push for a first Blues start.

Going Head To Head

Games played: 101
PNE wins: 40
Draws: 25
Birmingham City wins: 36
Last meeting: PNE 1-1 Birmingham City, 15^th January 2022

One To Watch

Brought in on loan from Arsenal in July, left-sided defender Auston Trusty has made a bright start to life with Blues.

All of the United States international’s previous experience came in his native country, playing for the likes of Philadelphia Union and Colorado Rapids, but he has adapted well to Championship football.

Fans have got right behind the 24-year-old, who has played every minute of league action so far, and he’ll be hoping to help his side to a second clean sheet of the season on Saturday.

Match Officials

James Bell will take charge of his first Preston North End game on Saturday afternoon.

The referee first stepped up to the Football League in the 2020/21 season, while he was promoted to take charge of Championship fixtures only this campaign.

So far this term, he’s taken charge of a Carabao Cup fixture and two second tier games, producing seven yellow cards in those fixtures.

Pre-Match Thoughts

Ryan Previews Birmingham
City Match Ali Aiming For
Winning Streak

Match Reports

Match Report: PNE 0 Birmingham City 1

3 September 2022

Preston North End suffered their first defeat of the Championship season as Birmingham City won 1-0 at Deepdale.

Maxime Colin’s header in the 16^th minute was the first goal PNE have conceded in league action this term, and it was enough to earn the visitors all three points.

Ryan Lowe’s men started the game brightly, creating three chances within the opening seven minutes, with the second of those seeing Emil Riis sent through on goal by Alan Browne, but goalkeeper John Ruddy made a crucial save one-on-one.

Ruddy produced a simpler stop soon after to keep out Liam Lindsay’s header, before Scott Hogan looked like he was about to break into the North End box at the other end, but Ben Whiteman produced a superb sliding challenge just in time.

Hogan then hit an air shot from a promising position on 14 minutes and the ball went through to Jordan Graham, whose first-time effort was tipped wide by Freddie Woodman.

Woodman was beaten, though, 16 minutes in as Graham whipped a dangerous ball across the face of goal and Colin headed into the empty net at the far post.

The visitors enjoyed a spell of pressure from that point, which saw the North End defence tested by long throw-ins and corners, while the Blues frustrated PNE at the other end by limiting their chance creation for the rest of the half.

PNE felt hard done by on two occasions early in the second period, firstly as Parrott looked to be pulled back as he broke into the box – but the referee waved away appeals – and the striker was later punished for a foul as he dispossessed a Birmingham defender before finding the back of the net, however, the whistle was blown for a foul.

Hogan was almost gifted a goal at the other end a few moments later when a Whiteman header back towards goal fell to the Irish forward who looked to flick it over Woodman, but the ‘keeper made the save.

North End then came close on three occasions within a minute. Firstly it was Brady denied by a flying Ruddy save, before McCann curled an effort over, and in the next attack Riis then slammed the ball into the side netting.

Chances kept coming, with Whiteman soon slamming the ball across goal and Browne was inches away from getting a crucial touch to open the scoring.

Ryan Lowe made all five of his changes in the second half to try and impact the game, which included a first appearance of the season for young Mikey O’Neill, however, the goal didn’t come for the Lilywhites.

PNE line-up: Woodman; Storey, Lindsay, Cunningham; Potts (Fernández, 61), McCann (Johnson, 82), Whiteman (O’Neill, 82), Browne (Evans, 73), Brady; Riis, Parrott (Ledson, 82). Subs not used: Cornell, Bauer.

Birmingham City line-up: Ruddy; Sanderson, Roberts, Trusty; Colin, Chong (James, 57), Bielik (Hall, 73), Bacuna (Bellingham, 86), Graham; Hogan (Hannibal, 86), Deeney (Jutkiewicz, 73). Subs not used: Etheridge, Williams.

Attendance: 16,098 (2,073 away fans)

Referee: Mr J Bell.

Standings

Get closer to the action this season!

Want to be our new signing?