Alex Neil will be a familiar face returning to Preston North End as Stoke City boss

Alex Neil will be returning to North End for the first time since he was sacked in March last year. It ended almost four years of the Scot being at the helm at Preston, a period of time which is still well respected by supporters.

Neil got PNE to their highest league position in nine years as he steered the Lilywhites to seventh in his first season at the club, missing out on the play-offs by two points.

After departing Preston, Neil took up a job with Sunderland towards the end of last season and proved to be their saviour, finally getting the Black Cats out of League One with a play-off win – his second success in the play-offs.

But early into this season he was again on the move, this time by choice. Reportedly feeling let down in the transfer market by Sunderland, Neil made the decision to leave and take up the manager’s job at Stoke, who had just sacked Michael O’Neill.

The Potters had been interested in Neil’s services during his time at PNE but at that moment in time Stoke were in the relegation zone whilst North End were setting the pace near the top of the league.

Now they have their man and they’re hoping he can be the one to see them out of the Championship and back into the Premier League.

The Stoke boss changed things up in their last game, opting for a four at the back system for the first time since arriving at the Potteries.

Stoke have been playing in a three at the back system with wing backs all season but changed things for the visit of the league leaders Sheffield United.

It proved successful as they ran out 3-1 winners, their second win in five games, losing just once.

Neil was known with changing his formation or system depending on the opposition and he did just that against the Blades, it’s something that isn’t likely to change with the way the Scot operates.

He said: “I’ve played a whole host of different formations and shapes. We changed formation twice throughout the game against Sheffield United and we changed the formation at Burnley to get the goal.“The problem you’ve got is that those foundations for the players are normally put in during pre-season. I’m trying to do it mid-season while getting them fit, while getting players back and that’s the challenge but the players have responded to it.”

One of Stoke’s star performers this season has been Lewis Baker, who this summer ended eight years with Chelsea to move to the Bet365 Stadium.

He has eight different loan spells during his eight years at Stamford Bridge, including time in England, Germany and Turkey.

The midfielder has four goals and three assists so far, leading the way in both stats for his side.

Ben Wilmot is also having a good season and his exploits could be familiar to North End fans after he scored a stunning 35-year piledriver in the reverse fixture last season.

Stoke will be well supported on the day, brining what could be their biggest away following in over a year to Deepdale.