Preston North End boss Alex Neil faces keeper dilemma

Declan Rudd has started the six Championship games, with Chris Maxwell playing in the League Cup.

The spotlight has fallen on Rudd after being at fault for at least two goals.

Against Bolton he let a shot from Sammy Ameobi through his legs, a goal which sparked the visitors’ comeback.

The second goal North End conceded at Derby, Rudd should have saved and there was a question mark about the first too.

Not that Rudd should be hung out to dry – he can point to the penalty he saved at Swansea last month.

Preston boss Neil did not labour the point about the mistake made by Rudd in the Bolton game.

Neil said: “It was just a shot on target which he needed to collect but didn’t. There was power behind the shot.

“I’m not going to speak in too many technical terms like a goalkeeper coach.

“I wanted him to save it, that is quite clear.”

Rudd and Maxwell shared the gloves last season.

For the first six months of the campaign Maxwell was No.1, Rudd out injured until November.

Rudd got the nod at the end of January. He sat out just two of the games for the remainder of the season – at Sunderland due to him attending the birth of his son and then the Easter Monday defeat to Derby when Maxwell was selected.

Maxwell enjoyed a strong pre-season, saving a penalty in the friendly with West 
Ham.

But he had to wait until the 3-1 win over Morecambe in the League Cup for his first slice of competitive action.

Last week at Leeds, he kept a clean sheet as 10-man PNE progressed to the third round.

North End resume action after the international break a week on Saturday against Reading at Deepdale.