Match Preview: Sheffield United (H)

15 September 2022

PNE host Championship table toppers Sheffield United this weekend in the final game before the international break.

Match Information
Venue: Deepdale
Date: Saturday 17^th September, 3pm kick-off
Competition: Sky Bet Championship (Matchday 10/46)
Kit: Home kit – available in-store and online!

Supporter Information

Tickets for this fixture will remain on sale until kick-off from the ticket office, while fans can also buy over the phone on 0344 856 1966 and online from www.mypne.com.

The matchday shuttle bus will be running on Saturday, from Leyland through Bamber Bridge on its way to Deepdale. Full details, including timings, can be found 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

Supporters in the UK and Ireland can listen to the game live with a £2.50 match pass or £4.49 monthly pass, with live commentary from Jonathan Breeze and David Buchanan.

Fans overseas can watch live on iFollow PNE with a £10 match pass. Subscribe here!

You can also follow live coverage before, during, and after the game across our social media platforms.

In The Dressing Room

Ryan Lowe is again looking at picking from almost a fully-fit squad, with Ben Woodburn the only doubt.

The former Liverpool midfielder, who has been out of action since the win at Coventry at the end of August, has stepped up his recovery from injury and is now back out on the grass.

Andrew Hughes will be pushing for a start after making his return from a shoulder problem off the bench midweek, while Emil Riis could make his 100^th appearance for Preston North End in this fixture.

A Look At Our Visitors

After losing in the Play-Offs to Nottingham Forest last season, Sheffield United have picked themselves up and become the early pace setters in this Championship campaign.

Paul Heckingbottom’s side have taken 20 points from their opening nine fixtures, sitting as the division’s second-highest scorers, while also posing the second meanest defence in the league – bettered only by PNE.

The Blades crucially held on to key players during the summer transfer window, the likes of Iliman Ndiaye and Sander Berge, while adding defensive sensation Anel Ahmedhodžić to their ranks.

Going Head To Head

Games played: 120
PNE wins: 36
Draws: 32
Sheffield United wins: 52
Last meeting: PNE 2-2 Sheffield United, 18^th January 2022

One To Watch

A real fan favourite and one for the future, Iliman Ndiaye has been in superb form for Sheffield United so far this season, with four goals to his name.

The forward featured heavily during the last campaign, scoring seven times in 30 league games, but his performances have stepped up a level this term, bringing much more than goals to his game.

At the age of 22, he’s got plenty of strings to his bow – able to run the channels, carry the ball with great skill, and also drop deep for his side when needed – and it appears just a matter of time before he reaches the top flight.

Match Officials

On Saturday, Jeremy Simpson will referee a Preston North End game for the second time this season.

The previous occasion was the goalless draw against Hull City at Deepdale earlier this season, while Simpson also took charge of three PNE fixtures last campaign.

So far this term, he has refereed six games, showing 29 yellow cards in that time. He will be assisted on Saturday by Nigel Lugg and Lee Venamore, with Ben Toner on fourth official duties.

Pre-Match Thoughts

Manager Looking For
Goalscoring Kickstart Freddie Looks Ahead
To Sheffield United

Match Reports

Match Report: PNE 0 Sheffield United 2

17 September 2022

Goals either side of half-time saw league leaders Sheffield United come out 2-0 winners against Preston North End at Deepdale.

PNE were dominant in the first half, creating plenty of chances without reward, and they were punished for it when Ndiaye scored in the 40^th minute.

Oli McBurnie then doubled his side’s lead 15 minutes from time and the Blades left Lancashire with three points.

Ryan Lowe made three alterations from the midweek draw against Burnley, with Alan Browne and Andrew Hughes coming in, while Álvaro Fernández made his first Championship start.

Rhian Brewster had the first shot of the game, sending a chipped effort just wide, before Troy Parrott split the visiting defence at the other end to find Emil Riis, but the Dane couldn’t quite work room for a shot on goal or to find a man in the middle.

North End then had the better of the play pretty much for the rest of the half, being first and second to everything, and chances were being created too, firstly with Ben Whiteman sending a long-range effort over the bar, while Ali McCann had his shot deflected wide.

Emil Riis and Hughes had chances in the next ten minutes or so, before the two then almost combined as Hughes muscled his way past a few United players and sent in a terrific low cross towards the front post, where Riis was just beaten to it by a defender.

Next to have a go was Whiteman, on the end of a fast PNE break, but the midfielder curled his 20-yard effort just over the crossbar, and Parrott then had a shot deflected over in the next attack.

North End were made to pay for not making the most of their dominance, however, as the Blades took the lead courtesy of Ndiaye, who dispossessed Whiteman on the edge of the box before keeping his composure to finish.

The forward would have had another a minute before the break were it not for Freddie Woodman, who produced an excellent reflex stop to deny the Senegalese attacker.

In the second half, PNE were again the side on top in the early stages without really creating too much, while at the other end an opportunity presented itself to Brewster, but he sliced an effort over the bar.

The Blades then made it two on 75 minutes when Sander Berge dispossessed Hughes before squaring for McBurnie, who tapped home to double his side’s lead.

Skipper Browne came close to pulling one back with 84 minutes on the clock, but goalkeeper Wes Foderingham produced a superb save low to his left, and the game ended 2-0 to the visitors.

PNE line-up: Woodman; Storey, Lindsay, Hughes; Potts (Ledson, 82), Whiteman, McCann (Johnson, 69), Browne, Fernández (Brady, 69); Riis (Evans, 69), Parrott (Maguire, 82). Subs not used: Cornell, Cunningham.

Sheffield United line-up: Foderingham; Ahmedhodžić, Egan, Basham; Baldock, Norwood, Berge, Ndiaye (McAtee, 90+1), Norrington-Davies; McBurnie (Sharp, 82), Brewster (Doyle, 69). Subs not used: Amissah, Khadra, Gordon, Brooks.

Attendance: 18,412 (4,428 away fans).

Referee: Mr J Simpson.

Standings

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