Match report
Stoke City and Preston Draw Goalless in Championship Clash
Stoke City
0–0
FT
Preston
Dec 26, 2025
Stoke City managed to hold off the determined efforts of Preston in a hard-fought match that ended in a scoreless stalemate. Both teams demonstrated strong defensive lines, with Stoke's Ben Wilmot and Preston's Paul Valentin and Alistair McCann receiving yellow cards for their respective fouls.
Key Facts
- • Final Score: Stoke City 0–0 Preston (Championship)
- • Paul Valentin (Preston) was shown a yellow card in the 16th minute.
- • Ben Wilmot (Stoke City) received a yellow card at the 54th minute.
- • Alistair McCann (Preston) got his yellow card in the 62nd minute, just before being substituted off for Jack Thompson.
Lineups
Stoke City
Formation: 4-2-3-1
Starting XI
- 1 V. Johansson (G)
- 18 B. Lawal
- 26 A. Phillips (D)
- 16 B. Wilmot (D)
- 3 A. Cresswell (D)
- 12 T. Seko (M)
- 4 B. Pearson (M)
- 42 M. Manhoef (M)
- 10 J. Bae (M)
- 7 S. Thomas (M)
- 9 D. Mubama (F)
Substitutes
- 13 J. Bonham
- 40 M. Talovierov
- 23 B. Gibson
- 15 S. N'Zonzi
- 19 T. Rigo
- 14 J. Donley
- 29 L. Cisse
- 20 S. Gallagher
- 11 R. Bozenik
Preston
Formation: 3-5-2
Starting XI
- 1 D. Iversen (G)
- 42 O. Offiah (D)
- 14 J. Storey (D)
- 16 A. Hughes (D)
- 2 P. Valentin (M)
- 5 H. Armstrong (M)
- 4 B. Whiteman (M)
- 8 A. McCann (M)
- 26 T. Small (M)
- 24 M. Smith (F)
- 9 D. Jebbison (F)
Substitutes
- 12 J. Walton
- 6 L. Lindsay
- 18 J. Lewis
- 44 B. Potts
- 15 J. Thompson
- 35 N. Mawene
- 21 A. Devine
- 10 M. Frokjaer-Jensen
- 7 W. Keane
Timeline
-
16' Preston Card · Yellow CardP. ValentinFoul
-
40' Stoke City subst · Substitution 1Off: A. Cresswell · On: B. Gibson -
54' Stoke City Card · Yellow CardBen WilmotFoul
-
62' Preston Card · Yellow CardAlistair McCannFoul
-
67' Preston subst · Substitution 1Off: Alistair McCann · On: J. Thompson -
72' Preston subst · Substitution 2Off: D. Jebbison · On: A. Devine -
72' Preston subst · Substitution 3Off: H. Armstrong · On: M. Frokjaer-Jensen -
77' Stoke City subst · Substitution 2Off: D. Mubama · On: R. Bozenik -
84' Preston subst · Substitution 4Off: T. Small · On: J. Lewis -
86' Stoke City subst · Substitution 3Off: J. Bae · On: S. Gallagher -
90'+1 Stoke City Card · Yellow CardB. GibsonFoul
Match Stats
| Stat | Stoke City | Preston |
|---|---|---|
| Fouls | 8 | 12 |
| Pass Accuracy | 83% | 75% |
| Offsides | 1 | 2 |
| Red Cards | — | — |
| Total Shots | 14 | 8 |
| Corners | 10 | 2 |
| Total Passes | 426 | 313 |
| Yellow Cards | 4 | 2 |
| Blocked Shots | 5 | 2 |
| Shots on Target | 3 | 4 |
| xG | 1.06 | 0.59 |
| Shots off Target | 6 | 2 |
| Possession | 58% | 42% |
| Goals Prevented | 0 | 0 |
| Accurate Passes | 353 | 235 |
| Shots Inside Box | 8 | 4 |
| Saves | 4 | 3 |
| Shots Outside Box | 6 | 4 |
Key Match Notes
- ▸ Stoke City introduced B. Gibson as a substitute for A. Cresswell at the 40th minute, which helped stabilize their midfield.
- ▸ Preston made multiple substitutions towards the end of the match to maintain momentum, including J. Thompson and D. Jebbison coming on in the 67th and 72nd minutes respectively.