Match Preview | Preston North End vs. Cardiff City
The Bluebirds return to action this weekend at Deepdale following the November international break. Frankie McAvoy's side welcome City to Lancashire for a 3pm KO on Saturday, November 20th, 2021.
Cardiff City TV options
Sadly, this game cannot be streamed in Wales, England or Northern Ireland as all live football is prohibited from being broadcasted between the hours of 2:45pm-5:15pm on Saturday afternoons. Supporters in the UK can purchase a Monthly Audio Pass to listen in for just £5! For audio throughout the season, purchase an Audio Only Season Pass for £45.
This fixture is available to watch live on Cardiff City TV for supporters based overseas.
Overseas supporters can watch City’s match against Preston North End live on Cardiff City TV by grabbing an International Match Pass for just £10!
⏪ @sparkyharris11 didn't take long to make an impact last time out against @pnefc! ⚡
— Cardiff City FC (@CardiffCityFC) November 17, 2021
🗞️ Read up on our First & Last encounters with the Lilywhites ⬇️#CityAsOne
Opposition Focus | Season so far
Preston North End sit six points ahead of the Bluebirds going into Saturday afternoon's Sky Bet Championship encounter.
Frankie McAvoy's side started the campaign with a 4-1 defeat to Hull City and suffered a similar fate last time out, losing by three goals at Nottingham Forest. However, they recently defeated high flying Bournemouth, 2-1, away from home.
After 17 fixtures, Preston are 16th in the table, with five wins, six draw and six defeats to their name thus far. They'll be hoping to bridge that five point gap between themselves and the play-off spots with a good run of form between now and Christmas.
The aforementioned McAvoy took charge of Preston in March 2021 following the dismissal of Alex Neil. McAvoy worked with Neil as coach at Hamilton Academical, Norwich City and Preston. This is his first managerial position.
Opposition Focus: Ones to watch
Emil Riis Jakobsen is now in his second season with Preston North End, having arrived at the Club in October 2020. The 23-year-old managed just two goals last term, and has already comfortably bettered that, becoming a real Championship goal threat. The forward has seven goals from 17 Championship games this term, while in all competitions the Dane has netted 11 times in 21 appearances.
After four seasons with Doncaster Rovers, midfielder Ben Whiteman moved to Deepdale in January 2021, making the step up from League One to Championship level. He took very little time settling in, going straight into the side. Whiteman is second top scorer for the Lilywhites in 2021/22 with four goals from 16 games.
Despite starting the campaign on the bench, both loanees Sepp van den Berg & Daniel Iversen have become essential to what Preston are trying to do. Leicester City goalkeeper Iversen came on to make his second debut in the first game of the campaign after Declan Rudd sustained a head injury. The shot stopper has gone on to appear in every game since, playing 21 times thus far this term. Van den Berg, on loan from Liverpool, also came on in that same game and has cemented his place in the starting XI ever since.
Preston & City | Club connections
Greg Cunningham joined the Bluebirds from Preston North End at the start of our 2018/19 Premier League campaign. He later returned to the Club, firstly on loan from South Wales, before agreeing a permanent move in February 2021. Greg has made 10 competitive appearances for the Lilywhites this term.
Paul Parry made the move to Lancashire in 2009 following five seasons in the Welsh capital. The Welsh international joined City from Hereford United in 2004 and played 192 times for the team he supported as a boy. He had three years with Preston North End before finishing his playing career with Shrewsbury Town.
Others to appear for both City and Preston include Eoin Doyle, Jon Parkin and Peter Sayer.
