Reviewing An ‘Up & Down Season’ For Monday’s Opponents Preston
- Preston North End host Leicester City at Deepdale on Monday night (8pm BST kick-off)
- Lancashire Post reporter George Hodgson gives an overview of the Lilywhites’ season
- The Lancashire club could finish as high as seventh in the Sky Bet Championship this term
A campaign which began with such promise for the Lilywhites faded away dramatically before a ninth-straight season in the second tier was confirmed.
Ryan Lowe’s side were unable to maintain their early form and are now preparing to come up against the league leaders in their penultimate fixture of 2023/24.
“It’s been an up and down season for sure,” Hodgson commented. “The Championship always is, but especially this one in particular. Preston started amazingly and were unbeaten in the first eight, winning six of those.
“They were top of the league and nobody ever expected to sustain that but expectation levels certainly rose. They lost 4-0 at home to West Brom which set them on a really rocky road. They had a terrible autumn.
“Ryan Lowe’s position felt at risk around Christmas, but they stuck with him and in 2024 picked up again, went on a really good run and have just fallen away. A few injuries at the wrong time meant it ended on a bit of a damp note, but they gave it a good go.”
Currently 10th, on 63 points with two matches remaining, there’s still hope of finishing as high as seventh in the table, which would constitute a more than respectable position for the Lancashire club, who are up against sides with much larger budgets and resources in the upper echelons of the division.
After losing out to Norwich City, Southampton and Queens Park Rangers in succession - without scoring a goal - the Deepdale faithful will now be expecting something of a reaction, despite facing the table toppers.
“It’ll be a decent crowd on Monday night,” the journalist continued. “It’s live on Sky and the last home game of the season so I think the team will really need the fans and every bit of support they can get, even though on paper there’s nothing to play for.
“The season hasn’t finished with a play-off spot and they can’t get into that top six, but you want to win a game of football and go into the summer feeling good. They may look more attractive as a club to signings in the summer.
“They’ll be hoping to pick up after three defeats and finish on a high. Even if there’s not a result, a performance that everybody can go away and think ‘we gave that a good go’. The manager talks about progress a lot and the group’s attitude, how honest they are.
“Speaking to the players, none of them are the type to down tools or be on the beach so to speak. It’s an easy thing to throw at players but they are professionals who work extremely hard. Pride is on the line and if they can finish eighth, that’s an improvement on last season.”
Singled out as a player who could City problems, Emil Riis has netted six times in 19 Championship outings this term, as well as laying on three assists. The Danish forward is a constant threat, according to Hodgson.
The reporter explained: “Emil Riis has looked absolutely outstanding up front since coming back from a horrible injury in January. He was good before, had scored 16 goals in Ryan Lowe’s first season and now looks a monster for defences.
“They are coming up against a really good team in Leicester, who are going to have more of the ball and Preston are going to try and hit on the counter attack. Riis is explosive, he’s got power and hopefully they can get him a moment in the game.”