Stoke City 0-0 Preston North End: Post-match review, Stats, Key moments

Dive into Ladbrokes’ post-match review of Stoke City 0-0 Preston North End in the Championship on Friday, 26 December 2025, with stats, key moments and our take on the match.

Stoke City and Preston North End played out a goalless draw with a final score of 0-0. The first half saw Preston pick up an early yellow card when Pol Valentín was booked at 16’, while Stoke made a change just before the break as Ben Gibson replaced Aaron Cresswell at 40’. The game remained tight with neither side breaking through, reflecting Stoke’s recent mixed form that includes a home win over Swansea but losses to Watford and Ipswich, and Preston’s string of draws in their last few outings.

The second half brought more cautions, starting with Ben Wilmot’s yellow for Stoke at 54’, followed by Alistair Edward McCann’s booking for Preston at 62’ before he was substituted off for Jordan Andrew Thompson at 67’. Preston made further changes with Alfie Devine replacing Daniel Jebbison and Mads Frøkjaer-Jensen coming on for Harrison Armstrong at 72’, then Jamal Piaras Lewis for Thierry Small at 84’, while Stoke brought on Róbert Boženík for Divin Mubama at 77’ and Sam Gallagher for Jun-ho Bae at 86’. Late yellows for Stoke’s Ben Gibson at 90+1’ and Róbert Boženík at 90+6’ added tension, but the match ended without goals, aligning with both teams’ recent defensive resilience shown in Preston’s draws against Norwich and Coventry, and Stoke’s shutout loss to Watford.

Stoke City controlled possession with 58% of the ball compared to Preston North End’s 42%, which translated into dominance in corners as they earned 10 against Preston’s two, suggesting they pushed forward more often. However, Preston proved more effective in transition play, completing 40 successful dribbles to Stoke’s 16, indicating they were sharper on the break despite less of the ball. Discipline was an issue for both sides, with Stoke picking up three yellow cards and Preston two, while substitutions saw Stoke use three – including Ben Gibson on at 40’, Róbert Boženík at 77’ and Sam Gallagher at 86’ – and Preston four, with changes like Jordan Andrew Thompson at 67’ and a double switch at 72’.

No red cards, penalties or injury-time goals were recorded, and assists were absent in this low-scoring affair, underlining a game where defensive organisation trumped attacking flair.

The match’s early discipline set a cautious tone when Preston’s Pol Valentín received a yellow card at 16’, and Stoke responded with a first-half substitution as Ben Gibson came on for Aaron Cresswell at 40’. Into the second half, yellow cards continued with Stoke’s Ben Wilmot booked at 54’ and Preston’s Alistair Edward McCann at 62’, shortly before McCann was replaced by Jordan Andrew Thompson at 67’.

Preston made a double change at 72’ with Alfie Devine on for Daniel Jebbison and Mads Frøkjaer-Jensen replacing Harrison Armstrong, followed by Jamal Piaras Lewis for Thierry Small at 84’, while Stoke’s adjustments included Róbert Boženík for Divin Mubama at 77’ and Sam Gallagher for Jun-ho Bae at 86’. The closing stages saw more cautions for Stoke, with Ben Gibson yellow-carded at 90+1’ and Róbert Boženík at 90+6’, but these failed to spark a breakthrough in the goalless contest.

Stoke City lined up in a 4-2-3-1 shape, focusing on a solid defensive base that held firm throughout, with partnerships in midfield helping to maintain possession. Players like Ben Wilmot stood out for his involvement, picking up a yellow card at 54’, while substitutes Ben Gibson, who came on at 40’ for Aaron Cresswell, and Róbert Boženík, on at 77’ for Divin Mubama, added fresh legs later on. Sam Gallagher also entered at 86’ replacing Jun-ho Bae, contributing to their efforts in the final minutes.

Preston North End set up in a 3-5-2 formation, relying on width from the wing-backs and a compact midfield to counter Stoke’s possession. Key figures included Pol Valentín, who was booked early at 16’, and Alistair Edward McCann, yellow-carded at 62’ before being substituted by Jordan Andrew Thompson at 67’. Changes like Alfie Devine for Daniel Jebbison and Mads Frøkjaer-Jensen for Harrison Armstrong at 72’, plus Jamal Piaras Lewis on for Thierry Small at 84’, aimed to inject energy into their attack.

Viktor Johansson earned Ladbrokes’ Man of the Match award for his assured performance in goal, making four crucial saves to keep a clean sheet with zero goals conceded. His two clearances and one punch helped repel Preston’s threats, particularly in transition moments where his handling was key. This display underlined his importance in securing the point for Stoke.

Recent Championship matches:

• Draw: 0-0 vs Preston North End (H)
• Loss: 0-1 vs Watford (A)
• Win: 2-1 vs Swansea City (H)
• Loss: 0-1 vs Ipswich Town (A)
• Loss: 0-4 vs Sheffield United (A)

Recent Championship matches:

• Draw: 0-0 vs Stoke City (A)
• Draw: 1-1 vs Norwich City (H)
• Win: 2-1 vs Oxford United (A)
• Draw: 1-1 vs Coventry City (H)
• Draw: 1-1 vs Wrexham (H)

Stoke City have just drawn 0-0 at home to Preston North End, leaving them in 10th place on 34 points after a run that includes a recent loss to Watford and a heavy defeat at Sheffield United. Their next match is against Sheffield United on 2025-12-29 at 19:45, with the opponents currently 18th on 26 points, offering Stoke a chance to climb the table and build momentum if they can reverse their earlier loss to the same side.

Preston North End have just drawn 0-0 away at Stoke City, keeping them in 5th place on 37 points following a series of draws including against Norwich and Coventry, plus a win at Oxford. They face Wrexham next on 2025-12-29 at 19:45, with the visitors sitting 15th on 28 points, presenting an opportunity for Preston to solidify their top-half position and push for promotion spots with a positive result.

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Odds and market details are accurate as of the time of publication.