Preston North End delivered a statement performance at Deepdale on January 1, 2026, brushing aside bottom-placed Sheffield Wednesday 3-0 and reigniting their Championship promotion ambitions. The match marked a triumphant return for striker Milutin Osmajic, who found the net in his first appearance after a nine-game ban, while Ali McCann and substitute Lewis Dobbin also etched their names on the scoresheet. For Wednesday, the defeat extended a grim winless run and further deepened relegation worries, despite recent signs of resilience.
The New Year’s Day clash arrived with both teams desperate to flip the script on their respective seasons. Preston, notorious draw specialists with ten stalemates in their first 24 league games, were seeking to snap a four-game winless streak and capitalize on the tightly packed race for the play-off spots. Sheffield Wednesday, meanwhile, were anchored to the foot of the table, 32 points adrift of safety, and still awaiting confirmation of a club takeover as 2026 dawned.
Preston boss Paul Heckingbottom rang the changes, making six adjustments to his starting lineup. The most eye-catching was the inclusion of Montenegro international Osmajic, whose nine-game suspension—handed down in November 2025 for racially abusing Burnley’s Hannibal Mejbri—had expired just before Preston’s trip to Wrexham. A minor hamstring injury delayed his return, but he was declared fit to partner Michael Smith up front. The home side also welcomed back Andrew Hughes, Pol Valentin, Jamal Lewis, and Ali McCann, with a notably strong bench at their disposal. Harrison Armstrong was absent, having been recalled from his loan by Everton earlier in the day.
Sheffield Wednesday, under the stewardship of Henrik Pedersen, entered the fixture on the back of consecutive draws against Hull City and Blackburn Rovers. The Owls had shown grit over the festive period, but their solitary league win—dating back to September 2025—offered little comfort. Pedersen made two changes to his lineup, bringing in experienced defender Liam Cooper and Svante Ingelsson. The visitors were boosted by the return of Sean Fusire, fresh from Zimbabwe’s early exit at the Africa Cup of Nations, and Nathan Redmond, who both made the bench.
The opening exchanges saw Wednesday attempt to impose themselves, with Pedersen later noting, “I think we start the game really well—until the first goal it was an equal game where we were in good control.” However, Preston soon asserted their authority. Northern Ireland international Ali McCann, who had not scored since October 2024, broke the deadlock with poise. Jamal Lewis intercepted a loose pass from Dominic Iorfa and delivered a pinpoint ball to the edge of the box. McCann’s deft first touch set him up perfectly, and he calmly slotted the ball low past Wednesday keeper Pierce Charles.
Charles was called into action repeatedly, producing a double save to deny McCann and Alfie Devine and later thwarting another Devine effort after Osmajic’s strike. Despite these heroics, the Owls’ defensive frailties were exposed again in the second half. Osmajic, eager to make up for lost time, rifled a shot into the top corner to double Preston’s advantage—a moment that drew a roar from the Deepdale faithful. The Montenegrin’s return could prove pivotal in Preston’s push to convert draws into wins during the crucial January stretch, with fixtures looming against Bristol City, Hull City, Middlesbrough, and Ipswich Town.
Substitute Lewis Dobbin put the result beyond doubt late on, capping a comprehensive display for the hosts. Preston’s dominance was reflected in the statistics and the flow of play; they were good value for their victory and, if anything, might have won by a greater margin. “A good, really strong performance,” Heckingbottom told BBC Radio Lancashire. “So many times in this league performances don’t align with results so you have to focus, but today this was one where the result aligned with the performance. At no point today did we give them any hope or any opportunities to get that foothold in the game and become dangerous, so I thought it was a strong performance.”
For Wednesday, the defeat was another harsh reality check. Their only real threat came when Bailey Cadamarteri’s header was saved by Preston goalkeeper Daniel Iversen—the Owls’ sole shot on target. With just 18 goals scored all season and a winless run now stretching to 18 matches, the club appears resigned to preparing for life in League One. Pedersen, reflecting on the setback, said, “After the first goal we didn’t get this rhythm back again. In the second half we were seeing that we were playing against one of the top six teams from the league. They are physical but with a lot of quality so it was a difficult second half.”
Injuries compounded Wednesday’s woes, with Liam Cooper suffering a groin injury expected to sideline him for an extended period. “Normally when it is a groin it is a longer time [than a few days]. I think it will take a longer time with him,” Pedersen explained. Despite the adversity, the manager struck a note of cautious optimism: “I am sure 2026 will be brighter for Sheffield Wednesday and the administrator will find a good solution and I am looking forward.”
Historically, New Year’s Day has been a happy hunting ground for the Owls, who had won their last three assignments on January 1—all at home. This trip to Deepdale, their first away game on New Year’s Day since 2005, brought no such luck. The Lilywhites, meanwhile, continued their recent mastery of the fixture, remaining unbeaten in four of their last five meetings with Wednesday.
As the dust settles on a pivotal afternoon, Preston’s fans can dare to dream of a sustained promotion challenge—especially with Osmajic back and firing. The coming weeks promise to test their mettle, but the signs are encouraging. For Wednesday, the focus shifts to halting the slide and finding some solace amid uncertainty, both on and off the pitch. With the January transfer window open and takeover talks ongoing, the next chapter for both clubs is still being written.
