Kevin Blackwell led his team over the Pennines top Deepdale on Tuesday morning for tonight's game and starts his preview with a look at Preston North End.

"It will be a difficult game because they haven't stated as well as Darren Ferguson would have liked since he took over so we will have to be wary of them.

"They still have a decent squad with good depth to it which will be aiming to turn things round for their new boss.

"They have brought in a couple of youngsters in Welbeck and James from Manchester United on loan and no doubt he has connections there, but he is looking to make his own mark in the game.

"It is a transition period for them but it is very noticeable that, compared to us, they have kept virtually all their key men, apart from McKenna.

"We could start with only Quinn, Ward, Henderson and Montgomery who played a part in the semi-finals against Preston last season whereas they still have the likes of Chaplow, Parkin, Mawene, St Ledger, Wallace, Davidson, Lonergan, Jones, Sedgwick and Brown at the club.

"Both Alex Ferguson and Arsene Wenger have said that no team can afford to lose their key players and that is where we have suffered

"But although Preston have been the more settled in terms of names and numbers, we have in terms of results.

"I like taking teams there, it is a good football club and a proper football ground. We had four cracking games against them last season and we will go there looking for points to help us stay in the promotion race."