[themaclad]

PIES ARE IN TOWN



LAST TIME OUT



FORM GUIDE

PNE 8 PIES 10

Unbeaten since Maloney took the job

Celtic appointed Maloney to a coaching role with their under-20 development squad in August 2017.[78][79] Maloney was added to the coaching staff of the Belgium national team in September 2018.[80] Later that month, he left Celtic to take the position with Belgium on a full-time basis.[81] Maloney worked for Belgium during the delayed UEFA Euro 2020 tournament,[82] in which they lost to, eventual winners, Italy in the quarter-finals.

Hibernian
Maloney was appointed manager of Scottish club Hibernian in December 2021.[83] They won his first two matches as manager, but a run of one win in 13 league games meant that they dropped into the bottom half of the 2021–22 Scottish Premiership when it split after 33 games.[84] Maloney was sacked by Hibs on 19 April 2022, a few days after they had been beaten 2–1 in a Scottish Cup semi-final by Edinburgh derby rivals Hearts.[84]

During May 2022 Dundee entered discussions with Maloney with a view to him becoming their manager, but they failed to reach an agreement.[85]

Wigan Athletic
Maloney returned to Wigan Athletic on 28 January 2023 as manager.[86][87]

In The Dressing Room

PNE will be without Ched Evans as he serves the final game of his suspension, while Ben Whiteman still has two matches to go before he can return to action.

Andrew Hughes, who was forced off through injury in the first half against Hull City, will be assessed ahead of the weekend, but manager Ryan Lowe stressed he would not be rushed back.

North End will be missing Ali McCann, who is expected to be sidelined for the next eight to ten weeks with a thigh injury, as well as long-term absentee Emil Riis.

A Look At Our Visitors


Wigan Athletic will arrive at Deepdale this weekend sat at the base of the Championship table, but that doesn’t tell the full story.

Having gone nine games without a win under Kolo Toure, the Latics became rooted to the bottom, however since the arrival of former player Shaun Maloney as manager at the end of January, their form has certainly improved.

The ex-Belgium national team coach has made his new side far more difficult to break down, having conceded just once in their previous four outings, while also going unbeaten during that run, and he’ll be hoping their upturn in form continues as they look to avoid the drop.

Going Head To Head


Games played: 48
PNE wins: 20
Draws: 15
Wigan Athletic wins: 13
Last victory: Wigan Athletic 1-2 PNE, 8th February 2020

One To Watch


Former Preston North End loanee Will Keane is unquestionably the biggest goal threat which Wigan possess.

Having netted 26 goals in League One last season, the Republic of Ireland international forward has reached double figures in the Championship this term for what is comfortably his best tally in the second tier to date.

The 30-year-old could be partnered up top by Ashley Fletcher or Danel Sinani this weekend, with the latter having joined on loan from Norwich City in January.

Match Officials

On Saturday, Preston North End will be refereed by Thomas Bramall for the second time this season.

Bramall last took charge of a North End fixture in August 2022, when Ryan Lowe’s side lost narrowly to Wolves in the second round of the Carabao Cup.

So far this season, Bramall has refereed 23 matches – including five Premier League games – and has shown 70 yellow cards and one red during that run.


MACS VIEW

Good news my mate who missed the only Saturday home win has scuttled off to the other side of the world so basically that could give us a chance of winning this weekend. In reality we are playing a side bottom of the league who have not lost in 4 games and seemed to be improving.
Nothing less than a home win is required, always difficult against the Pies apparenly Dave Whelan their ex owner broke his leg in a cup final so time to up the game Mr Fantastic or the natives will be more restless than they are now

[themaclad]

Preston North End 2 Johnson pen Cannon Wigan Atheletic 1 Cunningham og

PNE line-up: Woodman; Diaby, Lindsay, Cunningham (Bauer, 90+2); Potts, Ledson, Browne, Johnson (Brady, 80), Fernández; Cannon, Parrott (Storey, 90+6). Subs not used: Cornell, Woodburn, Onomah, Delap.

Wigan Athletic line-up: Amos; Hughes (Aasgaard, 80), Whatmough, Nyambe; Darikwa (Pearce, 64), Power, Tiehi, McClean (Caulker, 90+4); Keane (Sinani, 65), Lang, Fletcher. Subs not used: Jones, Naylor, Tilt.

Attendance: 17,842 (3,721 Wigan Athletic fans).

Referee: Mr T Bramall.

So after 4 barren months at Deepdale we finally manage to win a home game wasn't easy against a Wigan side who when behind threw everything they had in trying to back into the game, but we held on to take three points since we defeated Boro last October.
Could have been a goal down in the first 30 seconds but Bambo managed to clear the ball away from McCLean who was lurking behind him, struggled early on against them but once the intial pressure had eased thought we were the better side, had one effort on goal with Cannon firing wide from the edge of the box he may have been better playing Potts in but didn't.
Agaist the run of play we went behind and as per usual it was a gift, Ledson complete horlicks 30 yards from goal duffs his pass, ball out to Wigan's left not great defending when the ball came in and Cunningham's last ditch clearence hit the post and went in. Confidence dropped immediately and half time displeasure amonst the hoem support.
Within 15 minutes it had turned around we score twice first a penalty may have been soft but you don't complain Johnsn brought down by the keeper took the ref an age to give it, DJ took an age to take it and sent the keeper the wrong way within a couple of minutes in the lead, throw in by our corner ball ficked onto Browne who pass found Cannon who ran 40 yards before firing home off the post.
Unknown territory in the lead at home, a couple of substitutions by the visitors Sinani and Pearce boh caused us problems.
Sinani had an effort deflected for a corner, fired another narrowly wide, but another effort brought a fine one handed save by Woodman. Brady arrived instead of DJ picked up two booking and we had to spend the last couple of minutes with ten men, three corners in a row keeper up with the attack as well survived them all and ended up with a precious home win

Preston North End manager Ryan Lowe told BBC Radio Lancashire:

"I've always got belief in my players and staff that we do things right to make sure they get a result.

"But one thing the players and squad have done is fought for the shirt and that's what they did today.

"The football wasn't pretty but they fought from half-time onwards to get three points and it's great character shown from the players today - I'm really pleased for them."

Wigan Athletic boss Shaun Maloney told BBC Radio Manchester:

"I don't think we performed well enough to win it. I don't think we did enough to lose either. There were some big moments in the second half where we didn't defend and that's why we conceded two goals.

"The actual penalty incident, having seen it again, I don't think it was a penalty. But I was probably more disappointed at how we got there. It came from deep in the Preston half and we didn't do what we've done in the past four games.

[themaclad]