Taking charge of his second PNE game of the season, but his first in the EFL Championship, is referee Oliver Langford.
Prior to refereeing our Carabao Cup third round tie with Middlesbrough back in September, it had been 12 months since he last took charge of a game at Deepdale.
West Midlands official prior to the Boro game, last took charge of our Tuesday night clash with Cardiff City at Deepdale in September 2017, when the Lilywhites ran out 3-0 winners against Neil Warnock’s Bluebirds.
The previous season he took charge of three North End games. His first was the live Sky victory over Wigan Athletic back in September 2016, his second, our first match of the new year, at Burton Albion and his third the goalless draw away at Barnsley in February.
He also twice took charge of the Lilywhites in 2015/16; the goalless draw against Derby County, when goalkeeper Anders Lindegaard made his debut for the club, and the April trip to Middlesbrough.
His first game in change of North End before that was the clash with Swindon at the County Ground in November 2014.
This will also be his second Potters game of the season, having officiated their goalless draw at Nottingham Forest in November, so this is his first game at the Bet365 Stadium this season, which has for him included 23 games thus far, issuing 73 cautions and five red cards, two of which came in his last game, Reading’s 2-0 home win over Forest.
He will be assisted by Phil Dermott and Adam Crysell, with experienced match official Andy Woolmer acting as the fourth official for the game.