Brad Potts deserved first Preston North End league start of 2020 says boss
Brad Potts’ return to the Preston side against Fulham was a curve ball from Alex Neil but the Preston manager was pleased with the midfielder’s contribution.
Having lost Ben Pearson to a hamstring injury, Neil brought Potts into the starting XI at Craven Cottage.
With Alan Browne moved back to play Pearson’s holding role, Potts filled the No.10 vacancy and did it well.
Neil said: “I thought Pottsy did well, he looked threatening driving through the middle of the pitch.
“He had two really good chances, one of them when a defender did well to block it.
“When the ball went up to David Nugent, Pottsy was able to break off the back of him and was a threat from deep.
“I thought the Fulham game was ideally suited for him but obviously we didn’t get the result so it was hard to take many positives from it.”
Having had a stop-start season to say the least, Potts will have been encouraged by his showing in London.
His best form in a Preston shirt came last season after his move from Barnsley.
Potts started 10 games and scored twice, helping PNE go on an unbeaten run.
He suffered knee cartilage damage this time last year and later last season had surgery.
During pre-season Potts got more discomfort in the knee he had surgery on, this time caused by a cyst.
He missed a handful of the friendlies , only returning for the final warm-up game.
In the first part of the campaign, missing some of the pre-season work seemed to catch up on him.
Neil has tended to use him against some of the clubs at the top end of the division.
Potts started both games against Leeds, also the home match with West Bromwich Albion. He started the Deepdale win over Fulham in December, so too the League Cup clash with eventual winners Manchester City.
Neil clearly sees Potts as most effective when North End want to press high.
At times on Saturday he was right up with Nugent as they looked to stop Fulham playing out from the back.
The 25-year-old has started nine Championship games this season and come off the bench 14 times.
His last league start was the December 29 defeat to Reading, with him starting the FA Cup game with Norwich the following week.
It might be that over the course of the following games, Neil tweaks the midfield in Pearson’s absence.
He should have Paul Gallagher back to face QPR this Saturday.
Gallagher, 35, travelled with the squad to Fulham last Friday but after being taken ill overnight, travelled home on the morning of the game.