Two and a half weeks on from their last Championship fixture, PNE return to league action this weekend with a trip to face Derby County.
Match Information
Venue: Pride Park
Date: Saturday 2nd April, 3pm kick-off
Competition: EFL Sky Bet Championship (Matchday 39/46)
Kit: Third kit – available to order here!
Ticket Information
Tickets for this fixture will remain on sale from www.mypne.com until 1pm on Friday, while sales will continue over the phone on 0344 856 1966 and in person from the Deepdale ticket office until 4pm on Friday.
Please note, there will be no sales or collections at Pride Park on the day of the game, therefore all tickets must be collected from Deepdale before 10.30am on Saturday morning. Find full ticket details here.
Match Coverage
Those unable to make it to Pride Park will be able to listen to the game live on iFollow PNE with a £2.50 match pass, with commentary coming from Jonathan Breeze and David Buchanan, while those overseas can watch the match live for £10. Click here to subscribe now!
We will also be providing our usual coverage across our social media channels, as well as right here on PNE.Com.
PNE Team News
Ryan Lowe confirmed in his press conference that the only men unavailable to him this weekend will be Ryan Ledson and Tom Barkhuizen.
Greg Cunningham, who has been sidelined since the beginning of February, is back in full training and in contention to feature.
All players who went on international duty returned to Euxton unscathed and have taken part in training.
The Opposition
Hit with a 12-point deduction in September, followed by a further nine points, Championship survival has been the aim for Derby County this season.
Currently sat eight points below the dotted line, there is still plenty of work to do if that ‘great escape’ is to be achieved, but the Rams have shown all campaign long that they will not stop fighting.
With a side largely made up of free agents and Academy products, Wayne Rooney’s side have arguably done better than some would have expected given the difficulties going on off the pitch.
Key Stats
Derby County have made Pride Park a difficult place to visit so far this season, losing just three times at home in the league, while they have won seven of their last 11 fixtures on their own turf.
The Rams’ talisman so far this season has been Wales international Tom Lawrence, who has played a direct part in 39.5 per cent (15) of their goals this term.
PNE have the better of the head-to-head record between these two Football League founders, winning 52 of the 123 meetings, compared to Derby’s 47 victories.
Our Last Meeting
It was a goalless draw at Deepdale in the reverse fixture between these two sides, as the people of Preston celebrated the life of Mr Trevor Hemmings five days after the owner’s passing.
On another day, North End could have taken all three points from the Rams, with Emil Riis arguably having the best chance of the game on 82 minutes as he went one-on-one with Ryan Allsop, but the goalkeeper came out on top.
Man In The Middle
Geoff Eltringham will take charge of this fixture, for what will be the 28th PNE match of his career.
Eltringham last refereed a North End game just over a month ago, as he held the whistle for the goalless draw against Nottingham Forest at Deepdale in February.
He has shown 114 yellow cards and three reds in his 27 games refereed so far this season.
Pre-Match Interviews
Ryan Not Taking Derby
County Lightly PNE Can't Let Season 'Fizzle
Out' Says Greg