Home is where the art is as Deepdale boys see off Bees
ALEX NEIL claims his Preston players have surpassed his expectations after they climbed into the Championship’s top five.
Neil’s North End side have the division’s only remaining 100 per cent home record after Sean Maguire and Tom Barkhuizen both returned from injury to down an off-key Brentford.
Preston have had to deal with a raft of injuries already this season, particularly in attack, with winger Barkhuizen thrust into an unfamiliar striker’s role.
But he believes the character of his side is the reason they are flying at the moment.
The Preston boss wants his players to focus on maintaining a superb league start before they host the Premier
League champions
Man City in the Carabao Cup.
But he is adamant he will take a positive approach to the match, despite admitting his players are on a hiding to nothing.
“With what we’ve had to contend with, we deserve a lot of credit,” Neil said.
“We’ve played so many players up front this season and we’ve only had seven games. We’ve found a solution.
“It’s surpassed my expectations. To have four wins on the board and a draw and be disappointed over some of the games we did lose, it’s a fantastic start for us compared to last year.”
Preston needed to show their character in defence after Maguire – back from an eye injury – took advantage of some sloppy Brentford defending to score the opener after just four minutes. The visitors cleared a Billy Bodin corner but switched off when Ryan Ledson lifted the ball back into the penalty area, giving Maguire all the time he needed to control and slot in from six yards.
Brentford did not do anywhere near enough to test home keeper Declan Rudd – leaving head coach Thomas Frank questioning his players’ mental strength.
“I think that the best team won the game,” Frank said. “Preston were better than us. They played the game on their terms. And when we the opportunity to create something, we lacked quality. We didn’t have that top-quality decision making on the ball.
“It always helps to get the early goal but if we want to be a good team, then we need to overcome the small setbacks, and I didn’t think we did that well enough.”
Brentford managed only one shot on target before the break, with Algerian winger Said Benrahma blasting at goal from 20 yards, and Rudd beating the ball away.
After half-time, Bryan Mbeumo and top scorer Ollie Watkins went close, before Benrahma bent a 25-yard free-kick just beyond the post.
Then Barkhuizen – back from a groin injury – touched in Darnell Fisher’s cross. OLE GUNNAR SOLSKJAER hailed the character of his Manchester United players after their hard-fought win took them up to fourth.
By Solskjaer’s own admission, United were far from their best, but dug deep to hold on to their early lead, which came courtesy of an early Marcus Rashford penalty.
Harry Maguire had the last laugh on the Leicester fans who taunted him throughout, after he turned his back on them in the summer to complete his £80million switch to United. Maguire showed just why Solskjaer was prepared to make him the world’s most expensive defender, playing with assurance, while team-mate Scott McTominay excelled in midfield.
The Foxes had 58 per cent possession but it was a measure of United’s defensive resilience