Match Preview: Leicester City (A)

4 October 2023

Preston North End will play the first part of an away double header on Wednesday night as they face high-flying Leicester City.

Match Details
Date: Wednesday 4^th October, 7.45pm kick-off
Venue: King Power Stadium
Competition: Sky Bet Championship
Kit: Away kit

Ticket Information

Tickets for this fixture will remain on sale until 1.30pm on Wednesday 4^th October from www.mypne.com, in person from the ticket office, and over the phone on 0344 856 1966. There will be no option to pay on the night.

Any supporters collecting pre-paid or duplicate tickets can pick these up from the Matchday Collections Unit at the King Power Stadium on the night, which is located to the left of the fanstore. Please be aware, the lead booker will need photo ID to collect their tickets.

Coaches will depart from Deepdale and Leyland at 3pm.

Who’s Available?

Ryan Lowe confirmed in his pre-match press conference that he has no fresh injuries in the squad to worry about.

Ched Evans is due for a scan later in the week and will see a specialist next Monday, and all being well he could be made available for full-contact training.

Emil Riis is already in training and back with a ball at his feet, but these next two games will come too soon. The Danish forward could potentially be ready for action after the international break.

Opposition Focus

Following relegation from the Premier League last season, Leicester City were considered favourites to win the Championship before a ball was kicked, and their start to the campaign will have done nothing to change people’s minds.

Still with a number of players who have spent years in the top flight, the Foxes have also introduced some new faces, as well as having a new man in the dugout in Enzo Maresca.

The former Manchester City coach has made a flying start to life in Leicester, leading his new team to eight wins from their opening nine matches.

Follow The Action

Supporters worldwide can watch the match live on iFollow PNE, with £10 match passes available to buy here.

Live commentary is also available from Guy Clarke and David Buchanan. You can purchase a match or monthly pass here.

You can also follow all the action across our social media channels and here on the club website.

Match Officials

Referee: Thomas Bramall
Assistant Referees: Richard West and Steven Meredith
Fourth Official: Gavin Ward

Thomas Bramall will referee Wednesday night's fixture, replacing Darren England who was initially set to be referee at the King Power Stadium.

Bramall last took charge of a PNE match in February when Ryan Lowe's side beat Wigan Athletic, and so far this season he has shown 22 yellow cards and one red in six matches.

Match Reports

Match Report: Leicester City 3 PNE 0

4 October 2023

Three second-half goals saw Preston North End beaten 3-0 at the home of league leaders Leicester City.

PNE fought well against the title favourites and could have gone into the break ahead if Duane Holmes had managed to get his 43^rd-minute effort on target.

North End continued to compete in the second half, but once Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall put his side ahead on the hour mark, the Foxes looked more comfortable, and Kelechi Iheanacho and another from Dewsbury-Hall added gloss to the scoreline.

There were four changes made to the North End side from the weekend, with Ben Whiteman, Greg Cunningham, Jack Whatmough and Robbie Brady coming into the starting XI, and there was a change of shape too with Ryan Lowe opting for a four at the back.

PNE started brightly and had an early attack down the left through Brady, while the hosts soon started to see the lion’s share of the ball, although with few chances to show for it.

Liam Lindsay won two important headers on the six-yard line ahead of Jamie Vardy within the opening ten minutes, before then getting in the way of a close-range Dewsbury-Hall effort, following good skill from former PNE man Stephy Mavididi.

North End enjoyed their best move yet in the 26^th minute which culminated in Potts sending a dangerous, low cross into the area which defender Wout Faes hit against the back of his own goalkeeper, and on another day it may have rebounded into goal, but Leicester managed to get to the second ball and clear.

Holmes had the biggest chance of the match so far for PNE two minutes before the break when he was slotted into the area by Ali McCann, however the US international sent a low strike wide of the near post.

North End more than matched the title favourites in the first half and had the first chance of the second, which saw Brady have a shot deflected behind, before Holmes was again involved in the 57^th minute, forcing Mads Hermansen into a smart diving save.

The hosts went ahead on the hour mark, though, as McCann’s attempted interception redirected the ball into the path of Dewsbury-Hall who slotted past Freddie Woodman.

Substitute Iheanacho then made it two in the 76^th minute on the end of a good one-touch move involving Dewsbury-Hall and Wilfred Ndidi.

Ben Woodburn – part of a triple change just after that goal – found the back of the net for his side soon after his introduction, but he was ruled to have brought down Faes while winning the ball back.

In the final minute of the 90, Woodman came up with a superb stop to deny Iheanacho, but the follow-up was finished off by Dewsbury-Hall.

PNE line-up: Woodman; Potts, Whatmough, Lindsay, Cunningham; Millar (Stewart, 84), Whiteman, McCann (Mawene, 78), Brady (Best, 77); Holmes (Woodburn, 78); Osmajić (Keane, 66). Subs not used: Cornell, Bauer, Ledson, Frøkjær.

Leicester City line-up: Hermansen; Pereira, Faes, Coady, Justin (Choudhury, 79); Ndidi (Casadei, 87), Winks, Dewsbury-Hall; Fatawu (Albrighton, 88), Vardy (Iheanacho, 62), Mavididi (Yunus, 62). Subs not used: Stolarczyk, Souttar, Daka, Marçal.

Attendance: 30,380 (2,375 PNE fans).

Referee: Mr T Bramall.

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