Preston North End 1-2 Blackburn Rovers: Post-match review, Stats, Key moments

Dive into Ladbrokes’ post-match review of Preston North End 1-2 Blackburn Rovers in the Championship on Friday, 21 November 2025, with stats, key moments and our take on the match.

The match at Deepdale started evenly, with both sides probing but failing to break the deadlock early on. Just before the break, Preston North End took the lead when A. Devine scored in the 45th minute, assisted by L. Dobbin, but Blackburn Rovers responded immediately with L. Miller finding the net in the same 45th minute, assisted by R. Hedges, making it 1-1 at half-time. The first half saw limited chances, with possession slightly favouring Blackburn.

In the second half, Blackburn pushed forward and grabbed the winner through A. Gudjohnsen in the 62nd minute, assisted by R. Morishita, shifting the momentum decisively. Preston made changes around the hour mark, with D. Jebbison replacing L. Dobbin in the 57th minute and M. Frokjaer-Jensen coming on for S. T. Thordarson in the 58th, followed by J. Lewis substituting J. Storey in the 70th, but they couldn't find an equaliser. Blackburn managed the game well late on, making their own substitutions in the 84th and 85th minutes, while Preston's Benjamin Whiteman picked up a yellow card in the 90+3rd minute.

Blackburn Rovers edged possession with 54% compared to Preston North End's 46%, allowing them to control the tempo and create more opportunities, as evidenced by their seven corners against Preston's three, which pressured the home defence and contributed to their winning goal. Preston, however, showed flair in attack with 64 successful dribbles to Blackburn's 50, suggesting they were more effective in individual battles but lacked the finishing touch. Assists tallied at one for Preston and two for Blackburn, directly reflecting the goals scored, while both sides used all three substitutions—Preston at 57', 58', and 70' with L. Dobbin off for D. Jebbison, S. T. Thordarson off for M. Frokjaer-Jensen, and J. Storey off for J. Lewis; Blackburn at 84' and 85' with A. Gudjohnsen off for M. Gueye, R. Morishita off for M. Baradji, and K. Montgomery off for A. Henriksson—helping to maintain energy levels without altering the outcome significantly.

Preston received one yellow card to Benjamin Whiteman in the 90+3rd minute, with no reds or yellow-reds for either team, indicating a cleanly contested match without major disciplinary disruptions. No penalties were taken, and no injury-time goals occurred, keeping the focus on open-play execution where Blackburn's extra assist proved decisive.

The game's pivotal moments came in quick succession at the end of the first half, with A. Devine putting Preston ahead in the 45th minute via L. Dobbin's assist, only for L. Miller to level for Blackburn in the same 45th minute, assisted by R. Hedges, ensuring parity at the interval. The decisive shift arrived in the 62nd minute when A. Gudjohnsen scored Blackburn's winner, set up by R. Morishita, capitalising on a defensive lapse to secure the points. Preston's attempts to respond through substitutions around the hour failed to yield an equaliser, and Benjamin Whiteman's late yellow card in the 90+3rd minute summed up their frustration.

Preston North End lined up in a 3-1-4-2 formation, providing defensive solidity through their back three while relying on midfield partnerships to feed the front two. Standout roles included Benjamin Whiteman anchoring the midfield, with attacking contributions from L. Dobbin, who assisted the opener before being replaced.

Blackburn Rovers deployed a 3-4-1-2 shape, balancing wing-back width with central creativity to support their forwards. Key partnerships shone in R. Hedges assisting L. Miller and R. Morishita setting up A. Gudjohnsen, highlighting their effective attacking links.

A. Gudjohnsen earned Man of the Match honours for Blackburn Rovers with his crucial 62nd-minute goal that proved the difference, showcasing sharp finishing and composure under pressure to turn the game in his side's favour.

Recent Championship matches:

• Loss: 1-2 vs Blackburn Rovers (H)
• Draw: 1-1 vs Millwall (A)
• Win: 2-1 vs Swansea City (H)
• Win: 2-0 vs Southampton (A)
• Win: 3-2 vs Sheffield United (H)

Recent Championship matches:

• Win: 2-1 vs Preston North End (A)
• Loss: 1-2 vs Derby County (H)
• Win: 1-0 vs Bristol City (A)
• Win: 2-0 vs Leicester City (A)
• Win: 2-1 vs Southampton (H)

Sitting fifth with a solid points tally, Preston North End will look to bounce back from this setback and maintain their playoff push when they host Watford, who are mid-table and just a few points behind, in a midweek clash that could tighten the race for the top spots.

Blackburn Rovers, languishing in the lower half of the table, grabbed a vital win to boost their survival hopes and will aim to build momentum against Queens Park Rangers, a side hovering above them with a slight edge in points, in what shapes up as a crucial home fixture to climb away from danger.

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