Saints Marching
Fansided

Preston North End vs Southampton – Pre-season 2019/20: Preview

By Marc Walker

ALTACH, AUSTRIA - JULY 14: Coach Ralph Hasenhuettl of Southampton reacts during the friendly match between SCR Altach and FC Southampton at Cashpoint Arena on July 14, 2019 in Altach, Austria. (Photo by Daniel Kopatsch/Getty Images)
ALTACH, AUSTRIA - JULY 14: Coach Ralph Hasenhuettl of Southampton reacts during the friendly match between SCR Altach and FC Southampton at Cashpoint Arena on July 14, 2019 in Altach, Austria. (Photo by Daniel Kopatsch/Getty Images) /
facebooktwitterreddit

Southampton head north to Lancashire tomorrow to face Championship side Preston North End at Deepdale, kick-off 3pm.

The match will be Saints’ second pre-season friendly in their schedule this summer after a 1-1 draw with SCR Altach in Austria last weekend. Altach provided a good test for Ralph Hasenhuttl’s men and their next opponents will likely be another step up again.

It remains to be seen whether the minutes given to key players will be increased slightly to build up their workload. Two separate teams were given 45 minutes each for Saints last Sunday.

Preston have already played four pre-season friendlies and were victorious in all of them – a 4-0 victory over AFC Fylde sandwiched between three 2-0 wins against Bamber Bridge, Cork City and Chorley.

The last meeting between these two sides came in the League Cup back in the 2011/12 season, where Saints were 2-1 victors at St Mary’s.

PRESTON, ENGLAND – JANUARY 20: General View of Deepdale Stadium before the Sky Bet Championship match between Preston North End and Birmingham City at Deepdale on January 20, 2018 in Preston, England. (Photo by Mark Robinson/Getty Images)
PRESTON, ENGLAND – JANUARY 20: General View of Deepdale Stadium before the Sky Bet Championship match between Preston North End and Birmingham City at Deepdale on January 20, 2018 in Preston, England. (Photo by Mark Robinson/Getty Images) /

Team News

Preston were recently boosted by the return of striker David Nugent, who rejoins after 12 years spent at Portsmouth, Burnley, Leicester City, Middlesbrough and Derby County.

He will not be ready to make his second debut for the club against Saints, but fellow summer signing Patrick Bauer could make his home debut.

Related Story. Saints' 2019/20 pre-season opponents: Preston North End in profile. light

More from Saints Marching

Che Adams made his first Saints appearance against Altach last Sunday and scored after two minutes.

He will be involved again, but Moussa Djenepo is yet to join up with his new teammates after playing at the Africa Cup of Nations. Mario Lemina, Charlie Austin and Guido Carrillo have been frozen out of Hasenhuttl’s first-team.

Preston North End squad

Goalkeepers: Declan Rudd, Connor Ripley, Mathew Hudson, Callum Roberts, Michael Crowe

Defenders: Joe Rafferty, Ben Davies, Jordan Storey, Patrick Bauer, Tom Clarke (c), Paul Huntington, Andrew Hughes, Josh Earl, Kevin O’Connor, Jack Armer,

Midfielders: Alan Browne, Ben Pearson, Jack Baxter, Brad Potts, Daniel Johnson, Ryan Ledson, Paul Gallagher, Adam O’Reilly, Josh Harrop, Billy Bodin

Forwards: Josh Ginnelly, Tom Barkhuizen, Graham Burke, Jayden Stockley, Sean Maguire, Louis Moult, Connor Simpson

Southampton squad

Goalkeepers: Angus Gunn, Fraser Forster, Alex McCarthy

Defenders: Cedric Soares, Yan Valery, Jannik Vestergaard, Jan Bednarek, Wesley Hoedt, Jack Stephens, Maya Yoshida, Ryan Bertrand, Jake Vokins

Midfielders: Oriol Romeu, James Ward-Prowse, Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg, Stuart Armstrong, Harrison Reed, Jake Hesketh, Mohamed Elyounoussi

Forwards: Nathan Redmond, Josh Sims, Danny Ings, Che Adams, Shane Long

Next. Saints linked with 19-year-old forward from Anderlecht. dark