Preston North End 1-2 Leicester City: North End lose to Premier League side in final friendly

Ryan Lowe made four changes to the side that beat Hearts 2-1 at Deepdale on Wednesday, bringing in skipper Alan Browne, Daniel Johnson, Bambo Diaby and Ryan Ledson for Ben Woodburn, Brad Potts, Ched Evans and Jordan Storey.

Goals in the first half from Jamie Vardy and Harvey Barnes gave the Premier League side the win, despite Ali McCann pulling a goal back for PNE early in the second half.

It was a change of system too for the Lilywhites, using the same 4-3-2-1 that they did against Getafe, with Browne and Johnson playing behind Emil Riis - Ali McCann started at right wing back.

The visitors were swiftly in control of the game and were knocking it about nicely for the opening exchanges - though North End's system is designed with sitting a little deeper in mind.

Vardy gave Leicester the lead after 12 minutes, Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall playing the former England man through on goal down the left side, where he rounded Freddie Woodman before rolling it into the net from a slightly tighter angle.

It was quickly two as Barnes doubled their advantage six minutes later. He picked up the ball around 35 yards out on the left touchline before carrying it inside and across the face of the PNE box, muscling off the challenge of Ali McCann before firing low across his body and off the inside of Woodman's right hand post.

PNE had their first shot after 21 minutes when Ben Whiteman collected a loose ball from a free kick just outside the box, his effort was deflected wide of Kasper Schmeichel's net without concern however.

North End were struggling to get to grips with the game as Brendan Rodgers' side were slick and dynamic, their passing was pinpoint and their pace electric.

It was the visitors who next fell foul of a deflection, James Justin received the ball from a short corner and sent it at goal but a flick of a defender's body saw it just over the crossbar.

Lowe's men did start to get their foot on the ball a bit more after the half hour mark but it was still the Foxes threatening, Vardy heading Ricardo Pereira's cross wide.

It was almost three when Leicester's front three combined in spectacular fashion, Barnes flicked the ball through McCann's legs to come inside from the left wing, fizzed a low pass into the feet of Vardy's whose touch was perfect before laying it into the path of Albrighton who could not keep his shot down from just inside the box.

PNE kept defending manfully and went in at half time to applause from the Deepdale crowd who could see the quality they were trying to keep out.

Leicester had the opening chance of the second half through Albrighton but North End were quick to respond - and found the net.

It was a wonderfully worked goal, Robbie Brady clipped a ball down the line for Andrew Hughes to overlap and he found Ched Evans', on at half time. He wrestled the ball forward and fed the marauding centre half down the left wing who smartly picked out McCann who had space at the far post and he headed past Schmeichel after 49 minutes.

Leicester nearly had their two goal lead back four minutes later, Barnes got on the outside in the area and played a ball across the six yard box for Vardy whose touch let him down. Maddison tried to step in but when down under no contact and Brady seemed to stop playing, he rolled the ball out towards the left side of PNE's box and the Foxes came again, though this time it was repelled.

Just after the hour mark, last season's player of the year was reintroduced to Deepdale, in opposing colours as Daniel Iversen replaced skipper Kasper Schmeichel to a standing ovation.

After 69 minutes Vardy was saved by the flag as he scooped a low ball into the box over the top from six yards out.

Barnes was next to go close, taking the ball in from the Foxes' no.9 to open his body out and look for the far corner, his effort had beaten the 'keeper but came back out off the inside of the post 73 minutes in.

Riis then had the ball in the net - though it would not count. A cross from the left reached Browne at the far post and his volley at goal landed at the feet of the Dane who put it into the top corner 15 minutes from the end, for nothing.

Though the Foxes kept getting towards the North End goal, there was little of note for Woodman to do between the posts, until added time at the end of the second half.

Ayoze Perez, on at the same time as Iversen near the hour, chipped a lovely ball over the top for Barnes to control and shoot but he was kept out by Preston's no.1 from close range.

PNE Starting XI: Woodman, Diaby (Storey, 45', Lindsay, Hughes, McCann (Woodburn, 69'), Whiteman, Ledson, Brady, Johnson (Evans, 45'), Browne, Riis.

PNE subs not used: Cornell, Cunningham, Bauer, Coulton, O'Neill, Potts.

Leicester City Starting XI: Schmeichel (Iversen, 62'), Pereira, Fofana, Evans, Justin, Soumare, Dewsbury-Hall, Albrighton (Perez, 62'), Maddison, Barnes, Vardy.Leicester subs not used: Braybrooke, Nelson, Ewing, McAteer, Hughes, Appiah.

Attendance: 4,553 (470 away)