As it happened: Preston North End 0-1 Derby County in EFL Championship

Well, that's all from us here at VAVEL. I have been Lewis Browning - thank you very much for joining me.

Keep an eye on vavel.com for the report from today's game.

C'ya!

It's another tough result for Preston, who are now four points off the play-off places.

Hope is not lost for them and Alex Neil, but they'll need to pick up their form sooner rather than later if they want that top six finish.

Wayne Rooney's free kick is enough for Derby, then, who are now just one point off the Championship play-offs.

They have a tough run in, but they will fancy their chances against anyone right now. 

Derby were 17th when Rooney joined in January - what a difference he has made.

90 +7': Despite a late penalty call and corner, the full time whistle goes and it's another three points for Derby County.

They have their fifth victory in a row and move into seventh in the Championship. Preston's poor run continues, however, and they drop to ninth.

90 +6': What on earth is Declan Rudd doing?! 

He runs almost half the pitch to intercept a ball but it falls to Bird. he goes for goal from distance with Rudd well off his line, but his effort is wide.

90 +5': Ben Hamer has the ball in his hands and that's a sight Derby fans will love to see.

They are moments away from a huge three points. Preston need something special.

90 +4': Wayne Rooney makes way to a virtual round of applause. He's replaced by Scott Malone.

Beforehand, Davies was alert to block a threatening cross with Maguire waiting to pounce.

90 +3': Martin is back defending to clear a long throw and Derby break, but it comes to nothing.

The Rams are so close now.

90 +1: The board goes up and we are now into six minutes of stoppage time.

90': A Preston corner is cleared before they win another.

It's all the hosts right now - they're pretty much camped in the Derby box.

We're about to find out how much stoppage time will be played.

88': How Preston could do with their supporters right now. 

They're having all the possession, but Derby are standing strong.

86': Almost disaster for Derby as Hamer flaps unconvincingly at a Harrop cross. Bird, though, eventually clears.

85': Preston win a free kick on the halfway line but Derby won't worry too much.

Clarke clears the cross, before a long throw is also cleared.

Derby are happy to let Preston have the ball, here.

83': George Evans, who has had a great game in the absence of Andre Wisdom, is replaced by 35-year-old Curtis Davies.

81': Another deep Preston cross is held easily once again by Hamer, who has had hardly anything to do this evening.

We are into the final ten minutes of normal time.

79': The referee pulls Jason Knight to one side following a high challenge on Joe Rafferty. We are still yet to see a booking this evening, though.

79': Jayden Stockley replaces Ben Pearson for the hosts.

Before, George Evans had to be alert to cut out a Potts cross, before Derby clear a corner.

77': Rooney shows brilliant footwork before feeding Forsyth on the left. The left back almost finds fellow Scott Chris Martin, but the ball is slightly too far in front of him.

76': One gets the feeling that these 15-or-so minutes could be season-defining for Preston.

Barkhuizen almost gets on the end of a Harrop through ball as the two substitutes link up, but the ball runs through to Rudd.

74': Tom Barkhuizen and Josh Harrop are on, replacing  Paul Gallagher and Scott Sinclair.

A couple of attacking changes from Alex Neil - Harrop has eight goals so far this season, and Barkhuizen has 11.

72': Waghorn flicks the ball over Hughes and Gallagher brings him down. Rooney crosses the free kick, but Bird heads over from a good area.

70': Rooney feeds Lowe but the ball is just too heavy and shielded through to Rudd.

Rooney is of course also a threat in the number 10 role - plenty of versatility in this Rams side.

67': Derby will keep their shape, albeit with a bit of shuffling.

Waghorn has gone to the right, with Martin now leading the line. Forsyth goes into left back, whilst Lowe moves over to the right. Rooney has also moved further forward with Shinnie dropping in next to Bird.

65': Bogle makes way and Forsyth replaces him. 

Martin and Shinnie do join the action, too - it's Sibley and Holmes that make way.

64': Bogle is down for Derby and needs treatment.

Graeme Shinnie and Chris Martin are getting ready to come on, but Craig Forsyth, who has been at the club for nearly seven years, now, is also getting ready to replace Bogle, who can't continue.

62': Sean Maguire has replaced David Nugent, who has had a tough evening against his old club, for Preston.

Five changes are allowed for each team, of course.

60': Holmes loses out to Pearson, who runs a long way before feeding Potts. The midfielder's effort is tame, though, and Hamer gathers easily.

59': Bogle's early cross finds Waghorn, who earns Derby another corner, which is cleared.

Derby have quietened the early Preston threat this half. Home changes may be imminent.

56': Gallagher crosses but Bogle cuts the ball out and Derby play their way out of danger.

Sibley then reaches the byline and wins a corner. Holmes then earns another, but Lowe's effort is over the bar.

53': Browne tries to find Nugent with a cross after some nice build up play but the Derby box is packed and Ben Hamer gathers.

Much more encouraging from Preston.

51': Gallagher feeds Sinclair but he's closed down rapidly.

Derby have been spot on defensively bar a couple of nervous moments. They put 11 men behind the ball when they can and are proving very difficult to break down.

A bit of early possession for Preston in this second half will be welcomed by Alex Neil, though.

49': No changes at the break, but Tom Barkhuizen did go into the changing room earlier than the other Preston subs towards the end of the interval.

It probably won't be too long until we see him if the game carries on the way it's been going.

46': Derby get us going again for the second half.

The teams are back out on the pitch ready for the second half.

More of the same will be the message from Phillip Cocu to his men.

There could be a potential ban coming for Paul Huntington.

He and Sibley have had a bit of back and forth so far, and it seemed as if the defender stepped on Sibley when giving away the free kick ahead of Rooney's goal.

Hard to tell if it was deliberate, mind.

It's not gone to plan for Preston so far but they have talent they can turn to from the bench if needed. 

The likes of Barkhuizen, Maguire and Stockley can all pose a threat.

45 +3': The referee blows his whistle for half time and it's the visitors who lead at the break thanks to a trademark Wayne Rooney free kick.

Preston have been restricted to poor efforts from distance, and Phillip Cocu's side look by far the more comfortable side so far.

Plenty for Alex Neil to ponder.

45 +1': A lapse in concentration from Clarke and he blasts the ball straight to Gallagher. The veteran shoots early, however, and fires well over.

There will be two additional minuted played at the end of the first half.

45': We're almost at half time, but Derby won't want the whistle. Preston will be begging for it.

43': Even when Louie Sibley misplaces a pass in the Preston half, Bogle has time to trot back and retrieve it. The hosts just can't get out.

Gallagher wins a free kick to relieve some away pressure, but Derby have the ball back soon enough.

39': Derby are literally camped in the Preston half right now, and are looking as comfortable as anything.

It's all gone to plan so far, but they will want a second soon.

37': Oh, Derby! Knight finds Sibley, who feeds Holmes on the penalty spot. He miskicks, and Bird then does the same.

A great chance for a second goes begging.

35': Sibley goes in hard on Hutington and gives away a free kick in the Preston half. There is a potential storm brewing between those two.

The creative midfielder will be sky high in confidence following his hat-trick at Millwall and assist against Reading.

32': Another Derby cross is blocked before Sinclair fails to control a long Gallagher ball that runs out of play.

Hughes then fires well over from distance.

30': Very close to a second for Derby. Waghorn feeds Holmes and the wide man is given all the time in the world to gave a shot. He has a go from the edge of the box, and Declan Rudd has to make a smart save.

Derby keep coming.

29': Rafferty puts in a nice cross, which is headed away by Clarke. George Evans, who has big shoes to fill in the absence of Andre Wisdom, then blocks two follow up shots.

A small break in play follows as Alex Browne goes down injured, but he's fine to carry on.

26': It's time for the first half drink break, which will give the manager a chance to talk to their players.

Phillip Cocu will be pleased with what he's seen so far. Alex Neil, maybe not so much.

24': Potts finds Browne, who drags his shot wide. Clarke lunges in and seems to bring the Irishman down, but the referee waves away the appeals.

The Brighton loanee may have got away with one there.

23': It was classic Wayne Rooney. Waghorn was also stood over the ball, but there was only going to be one taker.

What a huge goal for Derby in their play-off quest. Preston are really struggling to get into the game.

20': My word, what a strike! We all know of Rooney's threat from dead ball situations, and England's record goalscorer has found the net once again from a free kick.

25 yards out, to the right of the box, and the midfielder finds the far corner. Derby lead.

18: Sibley wins a free kick on the edge of the box after a foul from Huntington. It looks as if the defender then stamps on the youngster, but no action is taken.

Rooney to take.

17': Gallagher tries to feed Browne from deep but it runs through to Hamer in the Derby goal.

Preston's first real sniff, if you could call it that.

14': 'Waggy' switches the play to Max Lowe out on the left. The 23-year-old cuts onto his right foot, but his effort is blocked.

Rooney then pings a beautiful ball out to the right and Sibley goes to meet a cross. Referee Jarred Gillet, though, adjudges the teenager to have handled the ball.

Derby have started well.

10': Derby are moving the ball well and trying to shift play out wide quickly, but, bar that early Waghorn effort, neither side has had a clear sight of goal as of yet.

Jayden Bogle is looking full of energy on the Derby right, though.

7': Waghorn will have to step up today in the absence of Tom Lawrence, who is suspended. The former Ipswich man has 12 goals so far this season, and has been moved up front for this game from the wing.

A Preston corner is cleared as Nugent falls over.

5': A great early chance for Derby. A mix-up in the Lilywhites defence allows Martyn Waghorn a run at goal, and the forward produces a save out of Preston 'keeper Declan Rudd.

The corner is, eventually, cleared.

4': An early Preston free kick is curled straight out of play by Preston captain Paul Gallagher following a foul by Matt Clarke.

1': After both teams take the knee, the home side get us underway in Preston.

The teams are now on their ways out onto the pitch, being greeted, of course, by empty stands.

Both sides will know the importance of this one. We're almost ready to go.

So we're just 10 minutes away from kick off at Deepdale, in what will be Preston's 5,000th league fixture as a club - the first team in English football to reach that feat.

It's a tough one to call, today - it promises to be a good one.

So as this game is the only one in the Championship kicking off at 17:00 BST, both teams have a chance to really put real pressure on those in the play-off places at the minute.

Neither can break into the top six today, but, with both on 57 points and sixth-placed Cardiff on 61, a winner would give their hopes a huge boost.

Derby manager Phillip Cocu has made four changes to the Rams team that beat Reading at the weekend.

Tom Lawrence is suspended and Andre Wisdom is injured so they both make way, whilst Craig Forsyth and Chris Martin drop to the bench.

George Evans, Duane Holmes, Jason Knight and Max Lowe all come into the XI.

So Alex Neil has made plenty of changes to the Preston side that lost 3-1 to Cardiff on Saturday - five, in fact.

Paul Gallagher returns to skipper the side, and Paul Huntington, Brad Potts, Joe Rafferty, and David Nugent - who faces his former side - all come into the starting XI, replacing Thomas Barkhuizen, Patrick Bauer, Darnell Fisher, Daniel Johnson, and Jayden Stockley.

Derby starting XI: Hamer (GK), Waghorn, Clarke, Evans, Holmes, Lowe, Rooney (C), Bogle, Knight, Sibley, Bird.

Subs: Roos, Forsyth, Shinnie, Jozefzoon, Martin, Davies, Malone, Whittaker, Hector-Ingram.

Preston starting XI: Rudd (GK), Pearson, Davies, Browne, Gallagher (C), Rafferty, Hughes, Huntington, Sinclair, Nugent, Potts.

Subs: Ripley (GK), Bauer, Fisher, Ledson, Harrop, Bodin, Barkhuizen, Stockley, Maguire.

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Derby's head goalkeeping coach Shay Given was looking forward to the run in when speaking to the club's website recently, despite the tough fixtures that await the Rams.

“The big games were the ones that I used to enjoy as a player" he said.

"The bigger the game the better, and the players are really looking forward to the games ahead. They are against teams around us and fighting for top six; we are very much in the mix now.

“I always think these games are better because there is more at stake for both clubs, and we feel that our team can rise to the occasion.”

Via LancsLive, Preston boss Alex Neil spoke recently of his confidence in his team despite their tough restart to action.

He said: "Are we disappointed with our recent form? Of course we are, but we've not been poor by any means.

"All we need is another win and then hopefully we can give ourselves an opportunity to go and try and finish as strongly as we can and give ourselves the best chance."

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Hamer; Bogle, Evans, Clarke, Forsyth; Rooney, Bird; Waghorn, Sibley, Knight; Martin

Rudd; Fisher, Bauer, Davies, Hughes; Pearson, Browne; Barkhuizen, Johnson, Sinclair; Maguire.

Derby are without forward Jack Marriott as he awaits surgery for a groin injury. Defender Andre Wisdom also misses the game after being hospitalised following a stabbing at the weekend, whilst forward Tom Lawrence begins his three-game suspension following a red card for violent conduct in the win over Reading at the weekend. Tom Huddlestone is unavailable for selection as talks continue over a contract extension, whislt Krystian Bielik is a long-term absentee.

The Lilywhites are without defender Tom Clarke, who is departing the club following the expiry of his contract. Louis Moult, meanwhile, is a long-term injury absentee.

Derby County have flown up the league table recently after winning their last four league games. Victories against Reading and Millwall after the break backed up wins over Sheffield Wednesday and Blackburn beforehand, and the team will be feeling like they can beat anyone right now.

A win here would see Phillip Cocu's men continue their fine form as we reach the home straight of the season.

Preston were in the top six of the Championship as little as a week ago, but a couple of poor results have seen them slide down to eighth in the league.

 

A 1-1 draw at then-bottom club Luton preceded a 3-1 defeat at home to Cardiff City on Saturday, so a win against another play off rival here would do Alex Neil's side a world of good.

The two sides on show are both in the hunt for a play-off place in the Championship, but are in contrasting form. Preston have picked up just one point from two games since the restart, whilst Derby have won both of their outings. The two teams are level on 57 points - three from sixth-placed Cardiff, so it's a big one.

Preston North End vs Derby County will be played at Deepdale, in Preston, England. The kick-off is scheduled at 17:00 BST.

Welcome to VAVEL UK’s LIVE coverage of the 2019 /20 Championship match: Preston North End vs Derby County! My name is Lewis Browning and I’ll be your host for this game. We will provide you with pre-game analysis, roster updates, and news as it happens live here on VAVEL.com.