Nice way to kick off 4 months on International free football with a visit from our nearest and not very dearest local rivals. Apparently they actually won the Premier Legue annd have spent the last 30 years telling everyone about it, the only reason they did win it,, because a French farmer(take your time) kung fooed someone at Selhurst Park https://www.rovers.co.uk/ MANAGER Valérien Alexandre Ismaël (born 28 September 1975) is a French professional football manager and former player who is the head coach of EFL Championship club Blackburn Rovers. A centre-back, Ismaël played for Strasbourg, Crystal Palace, Lens, Werder Bremen, Bayern Munich and Hannover 96. As a player, he won the Coupe de France, the Coupe de la Ligue twice, the Bundesliga twice, as well as the DFB-Pokal on two occasions. Following his retirement, he moved into management, first as a reserve coach for a number of clubs before moving into senior management with spells at 1. FC Nürnberg, VfL Wolfsburg and with Austrian Bundesliga club LASK, before spells with English Championship clubs Barnsley, West Bromwich Albion and Watford. He was appointed head coach of Blackburn Rovers in February 2025. please log in to view this image FORM GUIDE PNE 13 BLACKBURN 13 please log in to view this image They had been on a good run but lost last time out Newbies and inform please log in to view this image
Team News please log in to view this image There’s positive news on the injury front for Paul Heckingbottom as Daniel Jebbison, Pol Valentín and Will Keane all come back into contention after spells out. Long-term absentee Brad Potts is getting closer and is joining in with parts of training but is not yet ready for match action, and the same can be said for midfielder Ali McCann. Andrija Vukčević, Lewis Gibson and Robbie Brady also remain sidelined. The Visitors please log in to view this image After their opening 14 matches, Blackburn Rovers sit 19th in the table but no doubt buoyed by their recent form. Despite heading into the international break with a home defeat to Derby County, Valérien Ismaël’s side had won their previous three matches against Bristol City, Leicester City and Southampton respectively. Rovers’ strength has come on the road so far this season, having picked up 12 points from their seven away matches, compared to four at Ewood Park. Match Officials please log in to view this image Referee: Paul Tierney Assistant Referees: Dan Cook and Sian Massey-Ellis Fourth Official: David Webb Experienced Premier League official Paul Tierney will be the referee for this fixture at Deepdale. Tierney has not taken charge of a PNE match since March 2016 when North End won away to Bolton Wanderers. The referee has shown 21 yellow cards in six games so far this season.
please log in to view this image Attendance: 21,635 (5,183 Blackburn Rovers fans). Referee: Paul Tierney. A performance dredged from the depth of last season misery, apart from the first 15 minutes, this was a horror show, credit where credit is due they were stronger, faster and could actually pass the ball to a team mate, whilst we looked like we didn't want anything to do with it. No Armstrong made a massive difference, which is a testiment to the 18 year old loan player. We made a quick start, good save by Pears from Dobbin, Lindsay probably should have done better with a free header from the corner, we looked a danger everytime we went forward, Pears scrambled away another effort from a corner and that was probably our best period of play. Rovers dragged themselves into it, although didn't really trouble us, until the ten minutes before the break, when corner after corner was bombed into the North End box, from one of them Miller got free frommStorey and headed home from closed range, it was no more than deserved, enough to give them a lead at the break, well it woud have been if we had not scored 30 seconds later, scruffy effort just about crossed the line, Devine got the credit. Second period we spent most of the time in reverse gear, again though from open play they didn't create a lot, but once again from a dead ball they went ahead, ball to back stick, no one near Gudjohnsen and those from the dark lands of East Lancashire were back in front. For a short period we had the impetus, Small in a great position with teammates free in the box blasted a shot in which missed the target by miles and went for a throw in, in fairness though he had another effort which was goalbound blocked. Got a bit fiesty at the end but they deserved the win. Paul Heckingbottom was left really disappointed that his side were beaten by two set piece goals in the 2-1 defeat to Blackburn Rovers. Lewis Miller opened the scoring with a header from a corner in the 45th minute, but within 20 seconds of the restart Alfie Devine drew the Lilywhites level. The visitors got their second and winning goal in the 62nd minute through Andri Gudjohnsen, who headed a free-kick beyond Daniel Iversen. auto640x360, 744kbps854x480, 1495kbps1280x720, 3002kbps1920x1080, 6021kbps 0.25x0.5xnormal1.5x2x 00:46 03:26 Paul Heckingbottom Disappointed With Goals ConcededPaul Heckingbottom was left really disappointed that his side were beaten by two set piece goals in the 2-1 defeat to Blackburn Rovers. Hecky said: “It's a very similar game to many we've had – tight. The margins are fine so we're really disappointed because we've given two set play goals away which has killed us. “We've been wasteful. The first half an hour we were good and we had the moments and the opportunities but we couldn't capitalise. We got ourselves back in the game because they had a bright spell before they scored. “It's going to be tough if you miss your chances when you're on top and then you give two really poor goals away from set plays, which are always going to be poor from our point of view, then it makes it a difficult game.” After going behind for the second time in front of a sold-out Deepdale, North End just couldn’t find a response, although the manager feels that was more down to the final-third decision making rather than getting into promising positions. Hecky said: “We wanted to start the second half the same way as we started the first, which was bright and sort of dictating things, but I didn't think we did that. “We made the changes to try and do that and like I said, the second goal just puts you on the back foot again. No lack of effort, lots of energy there to do it, I just felt we lost our discipline and shape a little bit. We got a little bit anxious. Then when we did get the moments, just that final ball, final attempt, final decision was lacking. “Every game is a big opportunity for us, but when you know you can do better, when you know what the reasons are why you've not won the game, it's always disappointing. Sometimes you come in, you know you've given your best and you've got beat and you can hold your hands up. Today, I think it was on us.” Valerien Ismael hailed the Rovers support for their phenomenal backing at Preston North End and was delighted to reward the fans for getting behind the team with victory at Deepdale on Friday night. More than 5,000 supporters packed into the Bill Shankley Kop and were behind the team from even before the first whistle in the first Lancashire derby of the campaign. Set pieces won the game for the visitors, with headers from Lewis Miller and Andri Gudjohnsen securing our third away win on the spin. In truth, Rovers largely bossed the game throughout, although Alfie Devine’s equaliser on the stroke of half time was a setback. To their credit, Rovers rallied in the second period, with Gudjohnsen’s match-winning moment on the hour mark sparking brilliant scenes in the away end behind the goal. “First of all, a big thank you to the 5,000 fans that were behind us tonight,” the boss said to RoversTV, saluting the supporters. please log in to view this image “They gave unbelievable support to us and we had goosebumps when we came onto the pitch. “It’s a great feeling when you see the fans in the full stand. “You come out, you don’t feel alone and we said that we are not only playing for us, we are playing for the fans as well. They expected something and we did brilliantly together. “You love those atmospheres in football and to beat the neighbours like this with a great away performance on a Friday night, there’s nothing better! “I’m really pleased with that performance as we faced everything you face in the Championship and we had to suffer together in the first 20 minutes. "We were good on the ball, stayed calm on the ball, were dangerous, created chances and we scored goals on the set pieces. "I told the players at half time to stay calm, to stay focused on ourselves to go again," he added when asked about his half time message to the players. “We did that. We had it under control and we had to fight again in some moments of the second half. “We were strong again and it gives us a good feeling that the work we have put into the team.”
