[themaclad]

Preston North End v Birmingham City
Deepdale 19/9/2023

First league match under the lights this season also live on Sky Extra or something like that forecast is pap for most of the day

https://www.bbc.co.uk/weather/2639912

BIRMINGHAM CITY

MANAGER

John Mark Eustace (born 3 November 1979) is an English professional football coach and former player who is head coach of EFL Championship club Birmingham City.

During his playing career, he played as a central midfielder for Coventry City, Stoke City, Watford and Derby County. He also spent time on loan at Dundee United, Middlesbrough and Hereford United.

After retiring as a player, Eustace served as manager of Kidderminster Harriers between 2016 and 2018, eventually leaving to become assistant manager of Queens Park Rangers in 2018. He had a brief spell as caretaker manager at QPR in 2019.

Talk of replacing him with Rooney, mistake if you ask me but this is Brum made the same mistake with Gary Rowett

https://www.bcfc.com/

https://www.smallheathalliance.com/list.php?1

https://wewilljourneyon.proboards.com/

LAST TIME OUT





TRANSFERS THE INS AND OUTS



ONE TO WATCH

JAY STANSFIELD



WE'VE MET BEFORE



FORM GUIDE

PNE 19 BIRMINGHAM 12

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Who’s Available?

After ending his PNE debut – which featured a stunning solo goal – with cramp, Liam Millar will be hoping to be fit and available for this fixture, as will Andrew Hughes who was substituted in the second half.

Ben Whiteman and Robbie Brady, who have both been missing through injury in recent weeks, were given their first minutes of the season in the victory over Plymouth Argyle, and will again be in contention.

Will Keane remains a doubt, while Ched Evans, Emil Riis and Calvin Ramsay will all be unavailable.

Opposition Focus

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After making a fantastic start to the Sky Bet Championship campaign, with ten points from their opening four fixtures, Birmingham City go into Tuesday without a victory in three games.

Blues – led by head coach John Eustace – finished 17th last season, but with new owners and a high-profile investor in Tom Brady, there is much more of a buzz around St Andrew’s this term.

New addition Jay Stansfield has settled straight into life with his new side, while fellow summer signings Keshi Anderson and Oliver Burke also offer a threat at the top end of the pitch.





North End won the previous meeting between these two sides, as goals from Alan Browne and Ryan Ledson led them to victory at St Andrew’s in January 2023.

Match Officials

Referee: Dean Whitestone
Assistant Referees: Daniel Leach and Jonathan Hunt
Fourth Official: Robert Madley

On Tuesday night, Dean Whitestone will referee his first PNE match since the 3-2 victory away from home against Norwich City last October.

So far this season, Whitestone has shown 21 yellow cards and one red in six matches.

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Preston North End 2 Bielik og, Osmajic Birmingham City 1 Stansfield

PNE line-up: Woodman; Storey, Whatmough (Hughes, 51), Lindsay; Potts, Ledson (Whiteman, 68), McCann (Brady, 51), Millar; Holmes, Browne; Osmajić (Frøkjær, 77). Subs not used: Cornell, Cunningham, Stewart, Woodburn, Best.

Birmingham City line-up: Ruddy; Drameh, Sanderson, Long, Longelo; Šunjić (Bacuna, 71), Bielik (Gardner, 88); Burke (James, 88), Miyoshi, Anderson (Hogan, 82); Stansfield. Subs not used: Etheridge, Roberts, Khela, Dixon, Aiwu.

Attendance: 15,838 (1,909 Birmingham City fans).

Referee: Mr D Whitestone.

Well blow me down still top, what is this sorcery? Not fluent by any means but finding ways at the moment to win games, like Saturday struggled to contain Birmingham however yhey were let down by a chronic inabiity to find a player when well placed in front of goal, only remember one shot from the useful Miyoshi which troubled Woodman.
As for the game in general the first half was really a non event a hark back to some of the stuff we watched last season, slow build up although have to say we are pretty good on the break these days.
Main danger was Millar when we occasionally gave hime the ball, City probed down either flank always though Olly Burke should have achieved more than he has given he had a big money move to the Bundesliga many years ago but still has pace to threaten any defence.
Anderson on the other flank had one real good chance but fired it hopelessly wide.
We rarely sparked into life and the break came as a welcome relief to everyone.
We kicked off twice in the opening two minutes of the second period going one down when STANSFIELD turned Lindsay who lost his footing before firing past Woodman, could have been two minutes later as Whatmough was easily dispossed by a City player, he brought Miyoshi down and was soon to be hook.
Lowe was about to make substitutions when we were hande a lifeline Bielik's magnificent header gave Ruddy no chance sadly for Kristien it was into his own net.
Substitutions saw us get a grip on the game especially Browne who powered through a couple of tackles fed a pass to Osmajic who fired home, throwing his shirt in the air to announce himself to the home fans(pictured below)


Could have been three Holmes fired an effort in from 30 yards Ruddy tipped it over the top. In between our goals Sunic had had an effort well saved by Woodman although possibly could have done better.
Could have done with a third as City pressed for a leveller especially in the nine minutes of injury time, but we held on to record a six win on the spin to keep us top which is apparently our best start to a season since 1903.



Preston manager Ryan Lowe told BBC Radio Lancashire:

"Three more points, that was the main objective today. The performance in the first half was not what we liked and to concede an early goal in the second half wasn't either but the lads went and found a way.

"It was probably a bit of a kick up the backside which we might have needed and we went and found a way.

"I always felt that we were going to be well in the game and we would find moments or opportunities to score and that's certainly what we did."

Birmingham boss John Eustace told BBC Radio WM:

"I thought we were excellent tonight, I was really disappointed to lose the game. Two sloppy goals, conceding just after we scored, via an own goal, is very disappointing and the second goal was disappointing too.

"They had three shots on target. I was ever so proud of the effort of the boys today to come to the top of the league and play like we did and dominate the game, with and without the ball - it was a big plus.

"We defended the box very well, conditions were tough when the ball was put in there as it's very windy but the performance was excellent."