Preston North End picked up a much needed win on New Year’s Day to move back into the play-off places. After one win in their previous six games, North End comfortably beat Sheffield Wednesday 3-0 to start 2026 in the correct fashion.
Paul Heckingbottom finds his side in sixth position having been in and around the play-off positions all season. They are also just four points behind Ipswich Town in second place and now with the transfer window now open you can expect plenty of teams in the this league to strengthen in the hope of pushing on.
Preston stretched without Armstrong?
The win came on the back of the news that Harrison Armstrong had been recalled by Everton which was always likely with the options David Moyes had been left with. However by the end of the month he will have a couple of players back from injury and others back from the African Cup of Nations.
Preston didn’t feel Armstrong’s absence on Thursday with Ali McCann stepping up and scoring a rare goal. He also picked up an assist for Lewis Dobbin’s goal with Ben Whiteman the provider for Milutin Osmajic’s comeback goal.
Armstrong was a late addition in the summer transfer window and before that you wouldn’t have said Preston were in desperate need of another central midfielder. With the aforementioned McCann and Whiteman regulars in the side and Stefan Thordarson and Jordan Thompson also options for the sitting in role. There’s also Alfie Devine and Mads Frokjaer capable of playing centrally but higher up the pitch. Dobbin can also be seen as an attacking midfielder.
However Armstrong took this team to the next level. A superb footballer with boundless energy that would see him gallop across the pitch, and contributing defensively and offensively. The 18-year-old also a wonderful football brain. Incredibly intelligent on the grass, and so clever with his decisions on the ball.
Moyes has already said he hopes the situation arises for Armstrong to return to Deepdale, with the Scot hopeful of his former club having a chance of promotion this season.
However do Preston hold out for that, look for a replacement or stick with what they have? There may be other options out there, but none that will slot in as easily as Armstrong. Preston run the risk of hoping for a return and ending up with a gap in the squad.
Still in the hunt by the end of the month?
Once again the Championship is a very tight league, and will likely go down to the wire. Preston have surprised even the most eternal of optimists this season, and despite a slip in form and performance over the past month or so they still find themselves in a great position.
The top six is up for grabs, but North End face some tough fixtures this months. A few losses and you can quickly find yourself dropping down the table. Bristol City started the year with a 5-0 victory and will be tough opponents at Ashton Gate on Sunday.
Trips to Middlesbrough and Ipswich later in the month look tricky as well. North End will be hoping for maximum points in the home games, but they also come against top half teams in Derby County and Hull City.
When isn’t a striker on the shopping list?
It was felt in the summer that this squad needed another striker, although I can’t remember the last transfer window when that wasn’t the case. Quite often we play with two strikers, and Heckingbottom has spoken about the fact he likes to have another two on the bench to switch things up.
We currently have the four strikers in Osmajic, Daniel Jebbison, Michael Smith and Will Keane. Lewis Dobbin has often played off one of them as well. Keane has only played 24 minutes this season after a long lay-off although he did pop-up with a crucial 96th minute equaliser against Norwich City. Heckingbottom doesn’t seem to want to use him that often though, and I wouldn’t be surprised to see him move Keane on if there is interest this month.
Osmajic remains as crucial as ever, although with 18 months on his contract, Preston may be tested with an offer. For me, after the commitment shown to him by the club and the fans, it seems like the right time to offer an extension to his contract that he would surely be delighted with.
Daniel Jebbison has probably exceeded expectations so far. He’s chipped in with some crucial goals; notably against Sheffield United and Coventry City and has been a key part of the squad.
The same cannot be said for Michael Smith who often goes missing in games, and doesn’t have the effect you would expect from a target man.
If North End are serious about a promotion push this season, then another striker has to be on the shopping list.
Wait for Gibson or sign another defender?
Lewis Gibson was Preston’s first signing of 2025 and he slotted in the side with ease. Although the team’s form dipped in the second half of the campaign, Gibson was a consistent performer. He brings stability to those around him, and his absence was felt the most in the recent defeat to Wrexham.
Gibson has been missing since limping off the pitch in the first half of the Sheffield United game over two months ago. There has been little mention of his return.
Whilst there have been plenty of good moments in a Lilywhite shirt for Liam Lindsay there are also far too many mistakes.
Andrew Hughes and Jordan Storey have been fantastic this season however. Many would have felt they could have been ushered out the side this season, but they have been solid and in plenty of games they have been crucial to us getting the three points. Of course helped by the utterly brilliant Daniel Iversen behind them.
Odel Offiah has looked at home in the right centre back position. Much more comfortable than a wing-back role where he first started out for us due to injuries. As and when Gibson returns it will be tough for Heckingbottom to leave one of Offiah, Hughes and Storey out.
With that in mind, another defender isn’t quite as urgent this month, and perhaps can wait till the summer. Jamal Lewis is also capable of slotting into a more central defensive role if needs be.
Expect plenty of strikers to be linked this month, and an anxious wait for the return of Armstrong.