This Week's Opposition: Preston North End

Pompey's next Championship opponents are researched by Pompey Live summariser Kirsty Roxanne.

Late minute devastation for the Blues saw Wayne Rooney’s Plymouth Argyle score late on to take all 3 points at Home Park on Tuesday night.

John Mousinho has since claimed that the performance in midweek was one of the best his side have had so far this campaign.

They now head back down South as matchday 15 in the Championship awaits -  Preston North End travel to Fratton Park.

MANAGER

Former defender Paul Heckingbottom is in the dugout for The Lilywhites.

After retiring from an extensive playing career, during which he made 419 appearances and scored 12 goals, Heckingbottom began to train as a coach.

He obtained a position with Barnsley’s development squad and after a successful spell as caretaker manager, during which the club won promotion and the EFL Trophy, he was appointed manager in 2016.

Heckingbottom has also managed Leeds United, Scottish Premiership outfit Hibernian and Sheffield United, however the now 47-year-old was sacked from all those clubs due to runs of poor form at each.

Heckingbottom was appointed as manager of Preston in August following the departure of Ryan Lowe just 1 game into the 2024/25 campaign.

He was nominated for the ‘Championship Manager of the Month’ award for Preston's unbeaten October run but lost out to Sunderland boss Regis Le Bris.

ONE TO WATCH

Brad Potts is our one to look out for this time around.

Potts began his career in Manchester City’s youth academy before making a permanent move to Carlisle United.

After 103 appearances and 9 goals in Cumbria, he moved to Blackpool at the expiration of his contract.

Whilst at Blackpool, Potts scored the opening goal in the 2017 League Two Play-Off Final win over Exeter City.

After a stint at Barnsley, the midfielder and makeshift right-back transferred to Preston and since joining, he has managed 199 appearances and scored 17 goals.

The number 44 also has 1 goal and 1 assist to his name this season.

TOP SCORER

The current top goalscorer for PNE is Leeds United loanee Sam Greenwood.

He started his youth career at his home club Sunderland before joining Arsenal’s academy and then Leeds United.

Greenwood joined Leeds on a 3-year deal and won the Premier League 2 ‘Player of the Month award in September 2020 - He went on to make his senior debut for the same club just 4 months later. 

In August of last year, Greenwood joined fellow Championship side Middlesbrough on loan for the 2023/24 season.

This season, the number 20 has netted 3 goals.

CURRENT FORM

Preston currently sit just above the relegation zone in 20th after 14 matches, during which they have accumulated 15 points.

In the 3rd Round of the Carabao Cup, North End won an incredible penalty shoot-out 16-15 against Fulham, which marked the longest shootout in the competition’s history. The Lilywhites were knocked out in the 4th Round though, suffering a 3-0 defeat away at Arsenal.

The last time these teams met at Fratton Park was back in December 2012… The game ended in a 0-0 draw in League One and current assistant boss Jon Harley started for the Blues with now head coach John Mousinho coming off the bench for the visitors!

Is it too early in the season to call this a must-win game? Can the Blues produce a similar performance to the one at Home Park on Tuesday night and convert their efforts into a victory?

Express FM will be back to offer full coverage of this weekend's Championship fixture between Portsmouth and Preston North End from 2 O'Clock on Saturday (November 9th) afternoon. Jake Smith, James Wilson and Kirsty Roxanne are the team pencilled in for the game at Fratton Park.

Kick-off: 3pm!