NAT IS NOT WASTE HIS

“He has just got the freedom to go out and play.

“Sometimes, when you’ve been through a tough injury period, then you need a break just to take stock and realise what a great life we have got, doing the job we do and dreamt of doing as a kid.

“He has just come back fresh and is a joy to have around the place.”

That certainly bodes well for the weeks ahead.

A GLIMPSE OF THAT OLD LEE

TOMLIN MAGIC AGAIN

Of course, it was Mendez-Laing and Robert Glatzel who grabbed the headlines as the super subs, given they scored the two crucial late goals, but another replacement showed us a glimpse of his quality once again.

Lee Tomlin has had his own battle to get back to full fitness following a training ground injury to his knee back in February.

It was thought Tomlin would take longer to get back to his full sharpness, and that maybe has proved to be the case.

But at Deepdale, he showed he still possesses the key to unlock defences. Yes, Mendez-Laing did tremendously well to burst through the defence and slot past Declan Rudd, but it was Tomlin who produced a beautifully weighted, disguised pass to put him into the space and on track for the penalty area.

And Preston manager Alex Neil knew the danger Tomlin possesses in those boots of his, returning from injury or not.

“The second goal is just really, really poor defending on our part,” Lilywhites boss Neil said after the match.

“It gets worked into Tomlin and we should be tight, stop him playing that sort of square pass for Mendez-Laing.”

In fairness, Tomlin has earned that sort of respect across the league for his performances this year.

THE UNEXPECTED KNOCKON EFFECT OF BRAD SMITH’S SIGNING

While we can all wax lyrical about the verve and energy of the City attack in