Preston North End Vs Swansea City
Coca-Cola Championship Tuesday 30th September 2008
After two straight 3-1 defeats, one of which was against bitter rivals Burnley, Alan Irvine will be looking to get back to winning ways as soon as possible as the Lilywhites welcome newly promoted Swansea City on Tuesday night.
After the disappointing performance, and indeed result, in Preston's last home game, it is important that Preston put on a good display to prevent the fans from fleeing from Deepdale. The Deepdale faithful will no doubt be confident of a result and will be clutching to the 'Tuesday Night Light's' record that has stood for more than seven years.
Swansea currently find themselves in 18th place and just three points above the relegation zone after Saturday's 4-0 drubbing to the much fancied Reading meaning that the Welsh outfit are without a league win in their last 5.
Roberto Martinez will also be targeting a return to form for his side as they look to shake off the aforementioned 4-0 defeat to Reading. A trip to Deepdale may have come just at the right time for them as Preston have not being firing on all cylinders in their last two games or indeed at the wrong time if you take the Tuesday Night Light's record into consideration.
Previous Meetings
Due to Swansea and Preston being in different divisions for the past sixteen years, the last time these two clubs met in the league was the 1992/1993 season where the Swans did the double over Preston. A 2-0 win at home and a 3-1 win at Deepdale was enough to send the teams off before a sixteen year interlude with a double over their English counterparts.
For the last time Preston beat Swansea in the league we have to go back even further and to the 1989/1990 season when Preston beat Swansea 2-0 at home before having their fortunes reversed in a 2-1 defeat in Swansea.
There has however been a more recent meeting between these two sides which took place on 24th January 2004 in the FA Cup. Swansea stole the headlines that afternoon for the giant killing feat as they saw off a strong Preston side to progress to the 4th round. Dickson Etuhu put Preston ahead just before the hour mark and with the game approaching the last ten minutes, it looked like that goal would be enough to send Preston through. However, Andy Robinson grabbed an 80th minute equaliser before Lee Trundle got the winner two minutes later.
Team News
Following Callum Davidson's red card at Turf Moor, the Scottish international is now ineligible for the next three games and with Michael Hart, who Davidson replaced, being stretchered off in the same game it means that Jay McEverley, who signed on loan from Derby on Monday, is set to start at left back.
Richard Chaplow suffered an immediate reaction to his hamstring problem at Turf Moor on Saturday and so Darren Carter should keep his place in the centre of midfield
Most are expecting a few changes for the game on Tuesday with Ross Wallace and Stephen Elliott waiting in the wings along with Chris Brown, another former Sunderland player who of course came on as a sub at Turf Moor.
As for Swansea, after having six games in the space of seventeen days, Roberto Martinez is waiting on late fitness tests for Marcos Painter, Darren Pratley and Shaun MacDonald.