Graham Alexander makes five changes to Preston North End starting XI vs Southampton
Preston take on Southampton in the Championship at Deepdale.
Graham Alexander has rung the changes for Preston North End’s Championship encounter with Southampton on Saturday.
Preston have lost their last two games and after Tuesday’s 3-2 defeat to Sheffield United, Alexander said there had to be ‘consequences for performances.’
That’s proven to be the case, with the manager making five changes to his team to take on the promotion-chasing Saints.
The most high profile alteration comes between the sticks, with Daniel Iversen being dropped from the team and replaced by Lee Nicholls.
It’s the first time Iversen hasn’t started a league game since March when he was side-lined with a groin injury. He has never been named on the bench for a Championship game since joining North End.
Nicholls had made one appearance for Preston since signing for the club in the summer, conceding four in the Carabao Cup defeat to Everton.
Meanwhile, Jusef Erabi and Jordan Storey have been dropped, while Leo Leroy and Johnny Kenny are not available due to suspension and injury, respectively.
In their places come Callum Lang, Liam Lindsay, Alfie Devine and Thierry Small.
The starting XI, which will likely be a 3-4-3, in full reads: Nicholls; Offiah, Lindsay, Hughes; Mills, Moran, Thompson, Vukcevic; Devine, Lang, Small.
However, it’s not clear who out of Small, Andrija Vukcevic and Stanley Mills will be in attack or at wing-back.
New signing Greg Docherty has been named on the bench.
Here are the subs Alexander has named: Iversen, Docherty, Erabi, Wiley, Storey, Nolan, Irwin, Burgzorg, Potts.
Former Lilywhite Lewis Dobbin has returned to Deepdale following his successful loan spell last season and starts for the Saints. Top-scorer Cyle Larin misses out through injury.
The Southampton XI is: Peretz, Bree, Stephens, Schlotterbeck, Welington, Ward-Prowse, Downes, Matsuki, Scienza, Dobbin.
On their bench is: Long, Abbott, Roeslev, Manning, Bragg, Williams, Fellows, Edozie, Mubama.
Referee for the game is Tom Nield, with kick-off coming at 3pm.