24-10-2025, 07:49
Team News
Paul Heckingbottom should be able to call upon the same group of players who faced Birmingham City during the week.
Odel Offiah made his first league start for the club on Tuesday and won the man of the match award, so will be hoping to keep hold of his place in the team.
Long-term absentees Brad Potts, Jordan Thompson, Pol Valentín, Robbie Brady and Will Keane remain unavailable.
The Visitors
It’s been all change and then change again at Bramall Lane over the past few months, with Chris Wilder moving on at the end of the 2024/25 season when Sheffield United were beaten at Wembley in the Play-Off final.
In came Rubén Sellés as manager, however the former Hull City boss was relieved of his duties following six straight defeats at the start of the season, and Wilder was then reappointed.
The Blades’ fortunes have started to turn since and they’ll arrive at Deepdale on Friday following back-to-back victories over Watford and Blackburn Rovers.
Match Officials
Referee: Farai Hallam
Assistant Referees: Akil Howson and Nigel Lugg
Fourth Official: John Busby
Farai Hallam will referee only the second PNE match of his career on Friday night.
The first was the 1-1 draw at home to Stoke City in April 2025. So far this season, Hallam has shown 33 yellow cards in eight matches.
HE GAVE STOKE A DUBIOUS PENALTY,
HECK
Paul Heckingbottom wants to see more of the same from his side on Friday night, albeit with a better result at the end of it.
North End go into the clash with Sheffield United following back-to-back defeats for the first time this season, although the manager has been happy enough with his side’s performances in those losses.
Asked what he hopes to see against the Blades, Hecky said: “Hopefully more of the same of how we’ve been performing, only with a better result.
“Watching the [Birmingham] game back and more than that then reflecting on the two days' prep we did and how the staff delivered that and the decisions we made, I’m really pleased with everything other than the result. That's the frustrating part, so more of the same.”
In Sheffield United, PNE are taking on a side who were a game away from returning to the Premier League last season, but the start of this campaign has been a complete contrast.
After six straight defeats, Rubén Sellés was relieved of his duties and Chris Wilder returned, and the Blades have seen an upturn in form since his appointment at Bramall Lane. Hecky – who led the Yorkshire outfit to the Premier League in 2023 – feels they’re far better than their current position in the table.
Hecky said: “They’ve spent money again. They’ve lost a couple of big players but spent money again and invested in the squad. I'm sure the previous manager would have liked that investment and all the squad put together earlier because if it's not you always feel like you're chasing. I think they've been a victim of that.
“But certainly with the calibre of player, the size of the squad, and the quality of the squad, it's no surprise to me that they've started picking up results.”
It was a frustrating defeat to Birmingham City for North End on Tuesday night, but one of the real bright sparks of the evening was the performance of Odel Offiah.
Handed his first league start for the club, the defender took his opportunity and ended the day with the man of the match award.
Hecky said: “Odel’s been great. It was a toss of the coin at the start of the season. He was really pushing Jordan [Storey]. Jordan's responded well. I think I've said a couple of times before, Jordan knows he's got someone champing at the bit desperate to play.
“He's earned his place in the team. I didn't know he'd got man of the match the other night, but I can see why. I had a little sit with him afterwards and we've been through a couple of things from the game that he did really, really well, and then bits that we still want him to touch up on.
“But he can be really pleased with how he played because he's out of his comfort zone when we're playing him there because the things we're asking him to do, he’s never been in those starting positions before.
“It might sound silly, but he’s an attacking player. We have him attacking from centre-back, we have him attacking from right-back, but [when he's at] wing-back a lot of the time we're asking him to receive the ball a lot higher, which is different for him.”
Paul Heckingbottom should be able to call upon the same group of players who faced Birmingham City during the week.
Odel Offiah made his first league start for the club on Tuesday and won the man of the match award, so will be hoping to keep hold of his place in the team.
Long-term absentees Brad Potts, Jordan Thompson, Pol Valentín, Robbie Brady and Will Keane remain unavailable.
The Visitors
It’s been all change and then change again at Bramall Lane over the past few months, with Chris Wilder moving on at the end of the 2024/25 season when Sheffield United were beaten at Wembley in the Play-Off final.
In came Rubén Sellés as manager, however the former Hull City boss was relieved of his duties following six straight defeats at the start of the season, and Wilder was then reappointed.
The Blades’ fortunes have started to turn since and they’ll arrive at Deepdale on Friday following back-to-back victories over Watford and Blackburn Rovers.
Match Officials
Referee: Farai Hallam
Assistant Referees: Akil Howson and Nigel Lugg
Fourth Official: John Busby
Farai Hallam will referee only the second PNE match of his career on Friday night.
The first was the 1-1 draw at home to Stoke City in April 2025. So far this season, Hallam has shown 33 yellow cards in eight matches.
HE GAVE STOKE A DUBIOUS PENALTY,
HECK
Paul Heckingbottom wants to see more of the same from his side on Friday night, albeit with a better result at the end of it.
North End go into the clash with Sheffield United following back-to-back defeats for the first time this season, although the manager has been happy enough with his side’s performances in those losses.
Asked what he hopes to see against the Blades, Hecky said: “Hopefully more of the same of how we’ve been performing, only with a better result.
“Watching the [Birmingham] game back and more than that then reflecting on the two days' prep we did and how the staff delivered that and the decisions we made, I’m really pleased with everything other than the result. That's the frustrating part, so more of the same.”
In Sheffield United, PNE are taking on a side who were a game away from returning to the Premier League last season, but the start of this campaign has been a complete contrast.
After six straight defeats, Rubén Sellés was relieved of his duties and Chris Wilder returned, and the Blades have seen an upturn in form since his appointment at Bramall Lane. Hecky – who led the Yorkshire outfit to the Premier League in 2023 – feels they’re far better than their current position in the table.
Hecky said: “They’ve spent money again. They’ve lost a couple of big players but spent money again and invested in the squad. I'm sure the previous manager would have liked that investment and all the squad put together earlier because if it's not you always feel like you're chasing. I think they've been a victim of that.
“But certainly with the calibre of player, the size of the squad, and the quality of the squad, it's no surprise to me that they've started picking up results.”
It was a frustrating defeat to Birmingham City for North End on Tuesday night, but one of the real bright sparks of the evening was the performance of Odel Offiah.
Handed his first league start for the club, the defender took his opportunity and ended the day with the man of the match award.
Hecky said: “Odel’s been great. It was a toss of the coin at the start of the season. He was really pushing Jordan [Storey]. Jordan's responded well. I think I've said a couple of times before, Jordan knows he's got someone champing at the bit desperate to play.
“He's earned his place in the team. I didn't know he'd got man of the match the other night, but I can see why. I had a little sit with him afterwards and we've been through a couple of things from the game that he did really, really well, and then bits that we still want him to touch up on.
“But he can be really pleased with how he played because he's out of his comfort zone when we're playing him there because the things we're asking him to do, he’s never been in those starting positions before.
“It might sound silly, but he’s an attacking player. We have him attacking from centre-back, we have him attacking from right-back, but [when he's at] wing-back a lot of the time we're asking him to receive the ball a lot higher, which is different for him.”
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