Preston North End

Andy Bayes
BBC Radio Lancashire, sport editor

Image source, Getty Images

Preston North End went to Ewood Park knowing that a win would put a marker down on the rest of the play-off chasing pack this weekend.

The fact that they left with nothing is a bitter pill to swallow for the 6,000 travelling fans as well as a manager who was so angry that he didn't want to see his players in the away dressing room at full-time and was insistent that they'd be back to work on Saturday morning.

With the exception of the excellent Daniel Iversen, you looked at the North End squad on show at Blackburn and thought this was pretty much as strong as it gets. Paul Heckingbottom had a strong XI and a bench of players more than capable of changing the game.

They started the stronger. Overloads down their left side were a regular occurrence in the first half hour. Lewis Dobbin and Alfie Devine provided flashes of quality, but it never really felt sustained. They certainly weren't forcing opposing keeper Balazs Toth into too much work.

The second half proved a real anti-climax from a North End perspective. Wing-backs Small and Lewis were introduced early in the second half. Small saw one deflected shot go wide but didn't really influence it after that. Lewis never looked like he was asking Alebiosu a question on the opposite flank.

The forwards were changed as the like-for-like substitutions continued with Lang and Jebbison replacing Dobbin and the ineffective Osmajic. Again, the threat didn't really come.

Devine's free kick from the left that struck the outside of the post and a skirmish in the box after a Toth misjudgment were as close as they came to a winner.

Although Blackburn might have been more proactive in the final third, a goalless draw was always the most likely outcome, and the Yuki Ohashi heartbreaker so late on will be a real sore one.

This is a really big week for North End. A long trip to Swansea followed by a home match against former boss Alex Neil's high-flying Millwall – these are two real testers.

If North End are to be serious play-off contenders, they've got to improve the level of consistency.

Five wins in the past 19 league games isn't going to take them into the top six.

We've been here before with North End, great starts to the season without the greatest finish. They're capable of turning it around… Tuesday's selection at Swansea will be very interesting.

Image source, Shutterstock

Preston North End boss Paul Heckingbottom told BBC Radio Lancashire after his side's 1-0 defeat at Blackburn Rovers:

"Angry's the real emotion, I think. We should have took a point there. The nature of that and it's anger.

"I can take losing [but] I'm very disappointed. The game itself, we sort of knew Michael [O'Neill] would go with the five at the back, he changed it [in the] second half, and we picked a team we knew would play well against that.

"I felt we had control of the game in spells but without looking the threat we wanted to do.

"We might have territory, we might have had set plays, we might have had moments where we controlled the ball but not enough chances at the end of that.

"I'd have taken a point; us not at our best attacking-wise, a clean sheet away from home and a point is never to be sniffed at in the Championship."

Preston North End should be excited about the final third of their Championship season, according to head coach Paul Heckingbottom.

A win or a draw at Lancashire rivals Blackburn Rovers on Friday (20:00 GMT) would move the Lilywhites back into the play-off places before their rivals play on Saturday.

"Everyone should be excited about it; the fans the club. But nothing is given in this league," Heckingbottom told BBC Radio Lancashire.

"You have to go and earn it, go and compete, but while we're trying to compete for that you've got 23 opponents who are doing the same thing and competing for their own reasons."

Preston only secured their Championship status on the final day of last season but have been challenging for a top-six place for much of this campaign - and have recovered from a three-game losing streak by taking a total of five points from their past three outings.

"We've worked really hard before the season, pre-season, during the season, to put ourselves in a position where we're able to talk like this and talk about trying to win things - compete at the right end," Heckingbottom added.

"We've had conversations with everyone about the last third of the season, about what is important to us and our performances and making sure we give everything we can to finish as high as we can."

Listen to more Preston North End interviews and content from BBC Radio Lancashire on BBC Sounds.

Image source, EFL

Puma's Rainbow ball will return to the English Football League as part of an on-going campaign against discrimination and homophobia.

The special edition rainbow ball was introduced in 2024 to mark LGBTQ+ History Month and will be used at every EFL game from 20 February until 1 March.

Manufacturers Puma will make a donation to Football v Homophobia for every goal scored with their rainbow ball across the Championship, League One and League Two.

The donations will help support education against homophobia and promote inclusion across the season.

The EFL have released a video, external to coincide with the campaign which features a Preston North End fan who was charged with a hate crime following homophobic chanting during an FA Cup fixture against Chelsea.

The rainbow ball will also feature in EFL partner EA Sports' FC 26 video game.

"The rainbow ball is a powerful symbol of the values we uphold across the EFL all season long," EFL chief executive officer Trevor Birch said.

"It not only reflects our longstanding commitment to ensuring the League is representative of all its diverse communities, but also reminds us that we all have a role to play in creating an environment in which everyone feels they truly belong."

Blackburn Rovers have the chance to move six points clear of the Championship's relegation zone on Friday before their rivals play on Saturday.

Victory over Preston would also give them a league double over their Lancashire neighbours.

Preston know a win would push them back into the play-off places.

• Following their 2-1 win in this season's reverse fixture (November 2025), Blackburn will be aiming to record a league double over Preston for just the third time since the turn of the millennium (also in 2000-01 and 2021-22).

• Preston have only lost two of their past nine away league games against Blackburn (W5 D2), although one of those defeats did come in this exact fixture last season, losing in January 2025 (2-1).

• Blackburn have won two of their past three league games (L1), as many as they did across the previous 16 matches. Following their 3-1 win at QPR last time out, Blackburn will be looking to win consecutive Championship games for the first time since early November.

• Preston North End have won just one of their past five away league games (D2 L2), a 2-0 win over Bristol City in January.

• Only bottom-placed Sheffield Wednesday (4) have earned fewer points at home in the Championship this season than Blackburn's 14 (W3 D5 L8), though Rovers won their most recent home league match (1-0 vs Sheffield Wednesday).

Tom Sandells
Journalist at BBC Radio Lancashire

Image source, Getty Images

Preston North End's spending proved to be enough to get them a point at home to Watford in a topsy-turvy game.

Much has been said about North End's January transfer window and their need to invest to keep up their push for the play-off places. They parted with a club-record amount to bring in Callum Lang from Portsmouth on deadline day and he created the goal that ultimately got them a point in PR1.

PNE scored a well crafted opening goal as Ben Whiteman played a one-two with Andrija Vukcevic on the edge of the Hornets' box for Lewis Dobbin to extend his place at the top of his side's scoring charts for the campaign.

But in just a couple of second-half minutes, Paul Heckingbottom's men found their lead not only wiped out but quickly saw themselves fall behind in the game.

Preston were comfortable in the opening 45, stand-in stopper Dai Cornell had one tame shot to save but spent the second half either picking the ball out of his own net or thanking his lucky stars that it wasn't required.

North End's only promising attack led to them levelling the game - and that came with their two most expensive ever purchases combining.

Lang laid the ball into the path of Milutin Osmajic, a man himself with a point to prove after recent antics, who found the back of the net in front of the Town End, as he certainly likes to do.

The home side were not at their best for a full 90 at home, again, but they did come away with a point - perhaps ill-deserved given the chances squandered by Watford and but for a couple of inches on the inside of Cornell's right-hand post.

That point adds to three picked up against Pompey in similar circumstances.

But Saturday's result will vindicate Heckingbottom's wants for additions and so too the supporters.

North End fans have seen their side on the brink of a play-off campaign many times before in recent years but will feel the investments have not matched ambition.

They saw the benefits of investments at Deepdale at the weekend and with Andrew Moran - another new face - not used from the bench and Milos Lukovic not required in the matchday squad, the hope will be that they can maintain their push for the top six.

It is still, of course, early days for the new men but with North End's new number 10 only set to get fitter and sharper, and their Montenegrin talisman back in the goals with help from the former - despite what could be seen as a bit of underwhelming performance - there are positives to be gleaned from the draw.

With those positives in hand, they will set their sights on East Lancashire now, and revenge for a defeat by Blackburn Rovers in the reverse fixture in November - with further reinforcements in the form of returning injured players potentially also on their way.

Niall McCaughan
Final Score reporter

Image source, PA Media

Paul Heckingbottom was pretty unimpressed post-match at Deepdale, even though his side procured a point against Watford in their 2-2 draw through Milutin Osmajic's fifth goal in three games against the Hornets.

That's probably because they went from relative first-half control against a directionless Watford to completely open and disjointed in the opening stages of the second half. It cost them two goals.

But perhaps the biggest talking point at Deepdale is not that North End are still in the play-off mix, but the state of the playing surface.

The pitch is terrible. Patchy, sticky and hard to play decent football on. That's not to overly criticise the ground staff as the rain has been biblical so far in 2026, but surely it can't be helpful to have a pitch so poor and is perhaps a reason for Preston's home form tailing off a touch.

Image source, Getty Images

Preston boss Paul Heckingbottom could not get over his disappointment at being held by Watford in a 2-2 draw at Deepdale.

Preston missed the chance to move back into the top six when Watford scored twice in two second-half minutes to lead 2-1 before Milutin Osmajic came off the bench, in his first game back after his three-match ban, to equalise.

Heckingbottom told BBC Radio Lancashire: "You're frustrated when you don't win, but I also know we went behind to a dangerous team, as we were pushing, they were countering on us all the time, so for us to get back into the game and score that good goal was good.

"They're a bit of an enigmatic team and enigmatic players and we gave them the encouragement in that five-minute spell when they scored and they came alive, they could show off. At that point, we showed real good character to get back in the game.

"I shouldn't really feel this flat, but for some reason I do, because I know it was a good game. I enjoyed the effort and the spirit and moments and spells in the game, how well we played, but I'm just frustrated."

Preston North End boss Paul Heckingbottom has confirmed number one goalkeeper Daniel Iversen has not yet been ruled out for a return on Saturday when the side host Watford.

The Danish stopper, 28, has missed five league games with a groin injury and while he has returned to training, he's not yet fully fit - but his boss is not ruling out a chance of a return.

"He could play but he can't kick it [the ball]," Heckingbottom told BBC Radio Lancashire.

As well as Iversen, Preston have several other players currently working their way back from injury including Robbie Brady (calf), Brad Potts (knee) and Andrew Hughes (hamstring).

Forward Daniel Jebbison will be poised for a return after missing out on the win against Portsmouth on Saturday, while new signing Callum Lang, who scored a hat-trick for the reserves in the week, could be set to make his first-team debut this weekend.

The side will also be boosted by the return of Milutin Osmajic following the conclusion of his suspension.

"I hope we can keep this between now and the end of the season," Heckingbottom added.

"Robbie Brady played minutes again the other day, keeping him fit is important. Hughesy coming back, I think he's five weeks this weekend, not far off [from a comeback], that's important.

"The boys coming back should add to what we've got."

Listen to the full interview on BBC Sounds

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Image source, Opta

Preston will seek a return to the Championship play-off places when wobbling Watford head to Deepdale on Saturday (15:00 GMT).

North End lie seventh, outside the top-six on goal difference alone, but ended a four-match winless streak, from which they earned just a point, with a 1-0 home win over Portsmouth last weekend.

Watford, now under new head coach Ed Still, are five places below, but only three points back, despite a run of six games without a win, which earned them three points and saw them score only twice.

• Preston have won two of their past three league games against Watford (D1), as many as they had in their previous 13. They won this exact fixture 3-0 last season.

• Having won just one of their first 17 away league games against Preston (D6 L10), Watford have now won on two of their past four visits to Deepdale (D1 L1).

• Preston have won just two of their past eight home league games (D3 L3), though they did beat Portsmouth 1-0 last time out.

• Watford are winless in their past six league games (D3 L3), failing to score in the last three. They last went four without a goal in February 2022 in the Premier League, while they last did so in the second tier in December 1992.

• Though he's registered a goal or assist in only one of his past 14 league appearances, Imran Louza leads all Watford players for goal involvements (12 – 6 goals, 6 assists), chances created (55) and total shots (59) in the Championship this season.

Preston manager Paul Heckingbottom praised his team for scrapping their way to three points on a poor Deepdale surface against Portsmouth.

He told BBC Radio Lancashire: "It was hard-fought, a very good three points in the end.

"I don't think we'll get many pretty games on that pitch but we might get good and exciting ones for different reasons and that one got tense.

"We never really opened them up to get that second goal which would have been nice so we had to defend our box well which we did, so I was pleased we could get the three points in the end."

The end to Preston North End's transfer window was frantic, according to head coach Paul Heckingbottom.

The Lilywhites brought in midfielder Andy Moran from Brighton and striker Callum Lang on deadline day but lost midfielder Mads Frokjaer to Danish Superliga side Brondby for an undisclosed fee.

"It was a tough window. We had to be patient and keep plugging away. It got more complex when someone came in for Mads so, the last two days, it was frantic," Heckingbottom told BBC Radio Lancashire.

"I never got a chance to speak to Mads before it happened but I was clear if he went we needed another player.

"It put more emphasis on getting Andy over the line and until we knew we could get both Callum and Andy done it was not signed-off that Mads was going."

Former Portsmouth forward Lang could face his ex-employers when Preston host Pompey on Saturday (15:01 GMT) although he has not played in the Championship since Boxing Day.

"He's trained fully (Thursday) - he's fit but easing him back into the minutes is our next step," added Heckingbottom.

Listen to more Preston North End interviews and content on BBC Sounds.

Preston North End could include their record signing Callum Lang in their squad just five days after the forward left their opponents on Saturday, Portsmouth.

The Lilywhites have slipped three points outside the play-offs after a four-game winless run.

Pompey are four games unbeaten but only one point clear of the relegation zone.

• Preston are unbeaten in their past 11 home league games against Portsmouth (W7 D4) since a 5-0 loss in February 1973.

• Following their 1-0 win in August, Portsmouth are looking to complete the league double over Preston for the first time since 1969-70.

• Preston have lost their past two home league games (1-0 v Derby, 3-0 v Hull). They last lost three in a row in the same season in December 2023, while they last did so without scoring in October 2020 (4).

• Portsmouth have lost just one of their past nine league games (W4 D4), and are looking to win consecutive matches for the first time since April 2025.

• Only bottom side Sheffield Wednesday (1) have won fewer away games in the Championship this season than Portsmouth (2).

Andy Bayes
BBC Radio Lancashire sports editor

Image source, Shutterstock

Preston North End boss Paul Heckingbottom wasn't holding back halfway through January when he said it would be criminal if his squad wasn't stronger coming out of the transfer window than when they went into it.

It will be interesting to hear how Heckingbottom feels it has panned out when we catch up with him ahead of Saturday's home match against Portsmouth.

The first thing to say is that money has been spent - in Callum Lang's case, a club-record fee.

In higher-end Championship terms, we're not talking fortunes, but on a couple of occasions this season, the directors of the club have described this year's squad as the most expensively assembled in the club's history.

At a time when the club are in talks with regards to a potential takeover, it would have been easy to do little or nothing.

Lang looks a good signing. The obvious concern is the number of his appearances this season have been severely restricted by injury, but he will give them a different option at the top of the pitch and fill the position vacated by Will Keane's move to Reading.

North End have paid for Andy Moran as well. The second time they've taken one of Brighton's academy graduates in as many windows.

Moran follows Odel Offiah to Deepdale from the Amex. He's had two Championship loans already, he knows the level and will undoubtedly be a better player for the experience of spells at Blackburn and Stoke.

The one thing he isn't is Harrison Armstrong. North End waited as long as they could before accepting their loanee from the first half of the season wouldn't be back from Everton to end the campaign.

In reality, why would he come back? He's playing regularly in the Premier League for his boyhood club. It wouldn't be fair to call Moran a direct, like-for-like replacement.

We'll wait and see what impact Milos Lukovic has during his loan from now until the summer.

As well as the permanent departure of Keane and the return of Armstrong to Everton, North End have let Mads Frokjaer and Stefan Thordarson leave on permanent deals.

With the changes last summer, neither were part of Heckingbottom's strongest teams this year. Both did OK.

Frokjaer appeared to be a fan favourite with some. Personally, I never felt that he influenced a game in the way real maverick players do and it's probably best for all parties that they move on.

So, it's a huge blow to lose Armstrong, but Moran and Lang both look like good permanent captures going forward.