Ryan Lowe Returns to Preston in FA Cup Clash « Vital Football

The FA Cup looms for Preston North End who take on 2013 winners Wigan Athletic at Deepdale on Friday night in the third round.

Ryan Lowe returns to Preston as the manager of the Latics, after leaving the Lancashire club in August in unconventional circumstances.

The former Plymouth Argyle manager mutually agreed to leave the club after an opening day defeat to Sheffield United, having many people questioning the decision.

Paul Heckingbottom would be his successor, who has gone on to install hope and unity back into the club, with the Lilywhites sat in fourth in the Championship and led them to the Quarter-Finals of the F.A. Cup last season.

In a run that included beating Charlton, Wycombe Wanderers, and local rivals Burnley in a stunning 3-0 victory, their dream would be crushed by Aston Villa who dismantled Preston 3-0 to end their road to Wembley.

It’s a competition that North End love to take seriously, with the financial benefits from sponsors, etc. having positive effect on the clubs finances, but also their rich history in this tournament is there to be seen.

North End are two-time winners, including the infamous double that was recognised as the first of its kind in English football, as the 1888-89 ‘Invincibles’ delivered the First Division title unbeaten, as well as winning the domestic cup without conceding a goal.

Times were different then, but it is history that is sown into the very fabric of this club and one that people aren’t allowed to forget, with the ‘Invincibles Pavillion’ stand erected as a reminder of what once was.

The Return of Ryan Lowe

When the draw was made, many Preston fans ran to social media to voice their pleasure in drawing their former manager in the third round.

Although a local rivalry, it seems that the Gentry are more concerned about sticking it to Lowe after his sudden and tumultuous exit from the club, leaving them in turmoil for the coming weeks.

When the 47-year-old arrived at Deepdale in December 2021, his stock was high; he had Plymouth Argyle at the top of League One after getting the Pilgrims promoted from League Two at the first time of asking, his brand of football was an exciting prospect that many fans were looking forward to witnessing.

It was an intense pressing and attacking style of play that got fans licking their lips as the thought of how many goals they were going to score, whilst it did start like that, the regression into a more methodical, possession style left Preston fans disappointed, as it did not suit the players whatsoever, often getting battered in away games which led to regular defeats at home.

The start of the 2022-23 season was particularly tough to watch, as Preston only scored two goals in their opening seven games, whilst they did win two of the seven, they drew 0-0 in five of those with three of them being at home.

It would take until the 13 September for Deepdale to see their first goal, an equaliser against Burnley which fittingly only just crept over the line, the roars were through the roof, as it wasn’t just a goal against a rival, it was relief that they finally managed to put the ball in the back of the net somewhat.

As a fan who attended that game, the oncoming rush from the fans towards to the away end resulted in myself nearly sustaining a knee injury, that’s what you get for sitting with the “Ultras” I suppose.

In a season that saw massive frustration, including a loss to Blackpool at Bloomfield Road, there was hope that the play-offs could perhaps be achievable.

With loan signings of Alvaro Fernandez, Tom Cannon, Liam Delap, and Troy Parrott it was a great looking team on paper, however Delap and Parrott would only score five goals between them, with Cannon proving to be the talisman with nine league goals, and Alvaro going on to the Young Player of the Year.

With how their fortunes turned out, it’s really laughable how the Lilywhites didn’t achieve anything.

After losing once in 11 games after February, including a 3-1 home revenge on their arch-nemesis Blackpool, there was an outside shot for the play-offs, but then four defeats in their last five games ruined any chance of that pretty quickly.

This disastrous end to the season would be a trend, although winning six games in a row in their first eight and finding themselves top of the league in 2023-24, they would fade away at the end the season with five defeats in succession without scoring a goal – leaving them in tenth place.

This was enough for people to call for Lowe’s head, though the club persevered, they gave the ex-Bury man a summer to rebuild and go again.

On August 12, three days after their opening day defeat, Ryan Lowe left by mutual consent, leaving the club and the football world in disbelief.

A 3-0 defeat followed against Swansea City, prompting Paul Merson to say Preston fans should “be careful for what they wish for”, as it seemed like the Lilywhites could face a long hard season.

Paul Heckingbottom would take over on the August 20, with his first game in charge against Luton easing the worries with a 1-0 win at Deepdale, although the season would result in them finishing 20th and nearly relegated, there was a strange optimism with ‘Hecky’.

With his infamous quote that he would like to put “a bomb” under the whole thing and start again, coining the ‘Hecky Bomb’ term on social media where many fans created their future teams with summer transfers, it was clear that this was the man who wanted to take the reigns and take the club forward.

Now they sit pretty in fourth place a with strong shout for making the play-offs.

Team News

Story time is over, Preston will be expected to go into this tie with second-string team as they look to rest players for their league clash with Derby next weekend.

Robbie Brady (calf), Andrija Vukcevic (hamstring), and Lewis Gibson (thigh) all miss out with various injuries.

Stefan Thordarson is set to complete a transfer to Hannover 96 in Germany, as the Icelandic international is having a medical with the Bundesliga.2 outfit.

Wigan Athletic have a clean bill of health and no suspensions for the upcoming tie.

Lineup predictions

Preston (5-2-1-2):

Jack Walton, Brad Potts, Odeluga Offiah, Liam Lindsay, Andrew Hughes, Thierry Small, Ben Whiteman, Theo Carroll, Alfie Devine, Michael Smith, Daniel Jebbison

Wigan (3-4-2-1):

Sam Tickle, James Carragher, Will Simson, Morgan Fox, Callum McManaman, Tobias Brenan, Tyrese Francois, Fraser Murray, Callum Wright, Christian Saydee

Key Battles

Thierry Small vs Fraser Murray

Murray is Wigan’s top scorer this season with four goals, he’s also got two assists to go along with them, proving him to be the talisman in this side.

Joining from Kilmarnock in the summer, the Scottish attacker provides a threat centrally and out on the right, meaning he will need to be occupied by Preston’s central personnel as well as Thierry Small.

If Wigan are going to get anything from this game, they will need to going through the 26-year-old, but if Small gets the better of him and advances forward, then that’s another problem for the Latics.

Small’s pace and crossing are a danger, as well as his ferocious approach to defending, whilst he was left out of the Preston team against Bristol City, he can assert himself back into the fold with a huge performance on Friday night.

Daniel Jebbison and Michael Smith vs Sam Tickle

One of the most-rated goalkeepers in the EFL, Tickle has been the key man for Wigan Athletic this season, after links to Championship and the Premier League, the 23-year-old opted to stay at the DW Stadium.

With eight clean sheets and only conceding 1.1 goals per game, he also has a 71% save percentage – the third best in the league, behind Nathan Trott and Sam Walker.

Jebbison has proved many doubters wrong this season with five goals and two assists, providing another source of goals for Preston this season and would be the focal point of the attack on Friday night should he start.

Smith also provides an aerial threat with his side and stature, more of a link-up player who could provide a whole new dynamic to the game as a bit of a battering ram who can be a handful for stronger, taller defenders.

They will need to be wearing their shooting boots if they want to beat Sam Tickle, who will be wanting to put himself in the shop window this month.

Alfie Devine vs Callum McManaman

Both are extremely creative and intelligent players, one however, is an F.A. Cup winner and was critical to their run all the way back in 2013.

McManaman was a dynamic winger who had wand of a right-foot and a burst of pace over short distance, now he is an experienced, slower, but still able to provide some magic when needed.

Not being utilised much in the league, he has got an assist in this year’s F.A. cup, playing 139 minutes, setting up James Carragher’s header against Barrow in the last round.

Alfie Devine has been magical for North End with five goals and two assist, he has been a consistent performer for the Lilywhites, especially over the last two weeks in this congested fixture pile-up.

With a goal against Wrexham and Bristol City, he is capable of stepping up when needed most – his ability to receive the ball in the half-spaces and also stretch the pitch creates chances for himself and his fellow teammates, on top of some good ball-striking and ability to pass between tight spaces make him such a danger for Wigan.

Prediction: Preston North End 3-0 Wigan Athletic

With a decent away crowd expected of over 3,000, Wigan will fall short on the evening.

On a cold Friday night, under the lights at Deepdale, live on Discovery+, this reunion for Ryan Lowe will end the way in the way most of his away games tend to end.

Wigan don’t score enough goals, they’ve had Paul Mullin recalled after a mundane loan spell, and Fraser Murray only has four goals to his name.

On the other hand, Preston have got multiple channels of chance creation and goals, Deepdale has been a fortress this season and they will want to continue their momentum and prop themselves up for next weekend against Derby at Deepdale.

It will be a reminder of just how far Wigan have fallen over the last two decades, going from winners of the competition in 2013 and a regular customer of the Premier League, to mid-table League One obscurity.

Jack Tucker