Match Day Thread Preston North End v Millwall Deepdale 28/10/2020

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LAST TIME OUT

HUDDERSFIELD TOWN 1 PRESTON NORTH END 2

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MILLWALL 1 BARNSLEY 1

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LAST TIME AT DEEPDALE

PRESTON NORTH END 0 MILLWALL 1

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FORM GUIDE MAX 25

PRESTON NORTH END 15 MILLWALL 10

MILLWALL NEWBIES

Parrott, Malone, Bennett, Zahore, Woods(scored for North End og at Shrewsbury

Millwall won on their first visit to Deepdale on 6/10/1928 by the odd goal in seven, North End's last win was 15/12/2018 3-2 which brings me to another 3-2 victory on 29/4/2000 when we were presented with the League 1 Championship trophy after winning the league, we were 3 up at half time before playing the second half in reverse gear didn't matter though still won. The Lions fans were generous in defeat that day donating pies from the old Pavillion paddock to the lads in the Town End. All good fun though

MACS VIEW

Another home game against a side who will probably sit deep and play on the break using two of the back three as attacking players a la Sheffield United, no easy game this however:

Millwall have said all senior coaching personnel at the club will self-isolate after confirming two members of their first-team coaching staff have tested positive for Covid-19.

Manager Gary Rowett also tested positive on Friday.

Under-23s manager Kevin Nugent, player-coach Shaun Williams and club captain Alex Pearce will take charge of their next two Championship matches.

Millwall face Preston on Wednesday and Huddersfield on Saturday.

Manager Rowett, 46, is expected to return to work from Monday once he completes his 10 days of self-isolation.

Millwall have not confirmed the names of the two coaches who are the latest to test positive.

Assistant manager Adam Barrett took charge of their 1-1 home draw against Barnsley on Saturday.

He is now among the group who will self-isolate in line with government guidelines.

Rowett last took charge on Tuesday, 20 October when they beat Luton Town 2-0.

Anymore cases and this one could be off, think it's on the red button 7 pm Kick off



Preston North End take on Gary Rowett’s Millwall at Deepdale on Wednesday evening, but with Adam Barrett likely to be in charge in the opposition dug out, with the Lions boss currently isolating after testing positive for Covid-19.

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First Team News
Watch PNE vs Millwall Live On iFollow PNE
23 Hours ago
Despite this set back, they have started the season in a very positive way and have only lost one game so far this season, occupying a Play-Off place at present, with a strengthened squad looking like they have a number of good options available to them.

For the Lilywhites, they will be looking to bring back-to-back away wins to Deepdale, looking to pick up their first home win of the season. Three wins from the last four games have moved them into the top half of the table and the squad will look to build upon that, but will know it will be a very tough test.

The manager has options available to him, after naming an unchanged side for the last two games, with the likes of Tom Barkhuizen, Sean Maguire and also the returning Darnell Fisher all pushing for selection.

Match Information
Competition: EFL Sky Bet Championship (8/46)
Date: Wednesday 28th October, kick-off 7pm
Venue: Deepdale
Kit: 2020/21 home kit – click here to buy it now!
Head To Head: PNE wins – 25; Draws – 11; Millwall - 30

Team News
Darnell Fisher is back in training after a month out with a hamstring injury and both Ben Pearson and Ben Davies will be given every opportunity to prove their fitness before the clash with the Lions.

Both have missed the last two games, but with an extra day’s recovery, due to another Wednesday game, could give them time to get back for the latest game. Louis Moult continues to work on his rehab.

Billy Mitchell and Troy Parrott (ankle ligaments) will sit out the meeting, but Gary Rowett – managing from home due to his positive Covid-19 test - has an otherwise fully-fit squad to select from.

He made changes for the weekend’s home draw with Barnsley, bringing in three players from the side that had win it’s previous two games and he could revert back to a side similar side.

Opposition View
Gary Rowett on millwallfc.co.uk: “It will be a difficult game. Any game away from home against the likes of Preston will be difficult. People will look at their home form and the fact that they haven't scored at home yet, but Preston are a good side.

“They have been up and around it for three or four years now. They are probably a bit more advanced into what they are doing then perhaps we are, even though we finished higher than them last season.

“It is going to be another challenge. Alex flipped to a 5-3-2 at the weekend to a good success, because Huddersfield did, but they are similar to us, they have a bit of tactical flexibility. They could play a four, they could play a five, they have some key injuries to players also.

“We have to go there with the right mentality, the right attitude, but we have lost one game in seven - two games in ten if you count the cup games - and I think it is a very positive start to the season.

“It’s the Championship - if you go there with a poor mentality you lose; if you go there with the right mentality and play with more composure than we did in the first half on Saturday, then we give ourselves a chance of getting a result.”

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Match Officials
Darren Bond will take charge of a Lilywhites game for the first time this season for Wednesday’s game.

Last season he refereed our July trip to Huddersfield Town and the Boxing Day draw with Leeds United. Prior to the clash with the Peacocks, he had not taken charge of a North End game since February 2019, when the game with Derby County ended goalless at Deepdale.

This will also be the Lancashire referee’s first Lions clash of the season, having officiated their 1-1 draw with Luton in October of last year.

Darren has taken charge of this game before, in September 2017 and that season he also officiated our 2-1 win at Bristol City and the 2-0 victory over Sunderland up at the Stadium of Light in March.

This will be his sixth game of this season, having issued 17 yellow cards and one red so far. The referee will be assisted by Wade Smith and Mark Jones, with Tom Bramall as the fourth official.

Match Coverage

 

Another stern test at Deepdale. The Lions are no longer the rough house gang thanks to GR. They have a talented squad of players.Hopefully, the jinx on NE at home is lifted tonight. Riis' first goal.

 

Same side as the weekend

 

83 minutes of pap 2 down

 

Poor better side well although didn't take much winninh

 

Preston North End remain goalless and without a point at home in the Championship this season after losing to Millwall at Deepdale.

The visitors looked the most threatening of the two sides for the majority of the contest and led early in the second half when Jed Wallace squared for an unmarked Kenneth Zohore to tap in the first goal of his loan spell from West Bromwich Albion.

Wallace added Millwall's second from the penalty spot after namesake Murray Wallace was fouled in the box.
Under-23s manager Kevin Nugent, player-coach Shaun Williams and captain Alex Pearce were taking charge of Millwall because all of the club's senior coaching personnel are currently self-isolating.

Manager Gary Rowett's positive Covid-19 test was announced on Friday, and two further unnamed members of Millwall's coaching staff have since returned positive results.

But the Lions made light of that disruption to extend their unbeaten run to four games and move into the Championship's top six.

Preston have taken 10 points from their four away games so far this season but, in sharp contrast, have lost all four of their home league fixtures without scoring.

Alex Neil's team did not register a shot on target until the 68th minute, when Millwall keeper Bartosz Bialkowski thwarted Tom Barkhuizen from close range.

Preston manager Alex Neil told BBC Radio Lancashire: "We didn't play well enough.

"To win any game, you're going to need seven or eight players to play well, as we have had in the past couple of matches.

"Tonight, I don't think we had anywhere near enough players playing well."

Millwall captain Alex Pearce: "We're all really happy and really pleased with the result.

"As for me, I'm proud of the lads tonight. It's been a really difficult 48 hours or so for them, and it can be a bit unsettling for some players, but they've just got on with their jobs and they've come through this game with flying colours.

"The gaffer (Rowett) was right there behind them; he set everything up beforehand, and he's been in touch throughout the game, directing on tactics, asking opinions on substitutions and pretty much everything else.

"The gaffer has been behind it all, but it's also been a terrific team effort overall."

 

What is going on? If NE don't beat Birmingham today, then there will need to be scrutiny of the managerial set up.