Preston North End (H) Match Preview
The Game
Argyle v Preston North End. Home Park. Saturday, 16 March. 3pm. Sky Bet Championship.
The Opposition
Preston were the early leaders in the Championship, winning six and drawing one of their opening seven fixtures. This served North End well, as they then went seven without a win, and won just five out of 21 games.
After a defeat at Sunderland on New Year's Day, Preston have fared well in 2024, losing just twice - to Leeds United, and to Stoke City last weekend - as well as drawing three and winning five in that sequence.
This leaves Preston, having played 36 games, in tenth place, five points outside the the play-offs, with a game in hand on most teams above them.
The Gaffer
Ryan Lowe became Preston's manager in December 2021, accepting the Lancashire club's offer to take over from Frankie McAvoy and, in the process, leaving Argyle.
Lowe had taken over at Home Park in the summer of 2019, after Argyle's relegation to Sky Bet League Two. He immediately steered the Greens back to the third tier, then to an 18th-placed finish the following season.
As a player, Lowe played for the likes of Shrewsbury Town, Sheffield Wednesday and Tranmere Rovers, as well as having several stints with Crewe Alexandra and Bury. It was the latter with whom he finished his playing days, and became the Shakers' manager. He took them to promotion at the first attempt, before joining Argyle.
The Squad
Leading goalscorer Will Keane has 12 goals for Preston this season, all in the league. Stockport-born Will has seven caps for Ireland; his twin brother Michael has played 12 times for England. Will has represented, most recently, Ipswich Town and Wigan Athletic, moving to Preston last summer, having had a loan spell at Deepdale in 2015.
Defender Liam Lindsay (below) is the only ever-present in the Preston side this season. The 28-year-old Glaswegian played for Barnsley and Stoke City, and had a loan at Preston in 2021. He impressed enough to make the switch permanent in that summer and, although he only made 17 appearances in his first season, has established himself in the side since.
Danish forward Emil Riis Jakobson spent a year out with injury, returning in December, and playing 12 games this season, starting nine of them. In February, he scored in four consecutive games, and typically forms a front two for PNE, along with Keane.
Earlier This Season
Argyle lost 2-1 at Preston earlier in the season, but that scoreline does not tell the full story of the game. Duane Holmes put Preston in the lead in the first minute of the game, and Liam Millar doubled the home side's lead, but Argyle took the game to PNE, and after Ryan Hardie got one back near the hour mark, it was all Argyle in search of an equaliser, at least. However, it did not come, and Preston won 2-1.
Tickets
Tickets for this game have sold out.
If you have a season ticket and cannot attend, you can make your ticket available via the Ticket Exchange and receive face value credit if your ticket is resold. Find out more about the Ticket Exchange.
Armed Services Day
The game is our annual Armed Services Day fixture. Learn more about it, here.
Argyle TV
Commentary for the game will be provided by Charlie Price and Marc Edworthy.
Argyle TV’s pre-match show, hosted by Erin Black and Katie Middleton, will begin at 2pm, and is available to watch for free on YouTube.
Domestic supporters can listen to audio commentary on Argyle TV, while international supporters can buy a match pass to watch the game, here.
