Match ends, Preston North End 1, Leeds United 1.
PrestonPreston North End1LeedsLeeds United1
Leeds United substitute Eddie Nketiah rescued a point with a late equaliser against fellow promotion chasers Preston North End at Deepdale.
The on-loan Arsenal striker looped a header into the net from a left-wing cross with three minutes remaining, despite Patrick Bauer's best efforts to clear the ball off the line.
Preston went ahead, having rarely threatened the visitors' goal until Tom Barkhuizen's 74th-minute opener.
North End began a quick counter-attack down the right touchline and substitute Sean Maguire's low cross was converted from close range by Barkhuizen.
That looked like lifting Alex Neil's side into the Championship's top two, but England Under-21 forward Nketiah scored his fifth Leeds goal of the season to deny them all three points.
There was a possibility that Leeds could have reclaimed leadership of the division if they had won at Deepdale - a prospect that increased with news of West Bromwich Albion's first-half struggles against bottom club Barnsley.
However, not for the first time this season, their failure to take chances in attack proved costly.
Patrick Bamford was off target with four efforts either side of half-time, Ezgjan Alioski drilled past the post from the edge of the box and Jack Harrison turned a second-half cross wide from eight yards.
Bamford, who has now gone eight games without a goal, was also denied by a superb last-ditch tackle by Preston defender Ben Davies when shaping to shoot from 12 yards.
Preston, for whom Barkhuizen headed over from a corner with the score at 1-0, stay unbeaten at home in the Championship in 2019-20, taking 17 points from seven home league games.
Premier League champions Manchester City are the only side to beat them at Deepdale so far this season, knocking them out of the Carabao Cup in the third round.
Leeds United manager Marcelo Bielsa told BBC Radio Leeds:
"Until they scored, the match was completely for us.
"After they scored, we multiplied our efforts to try to score. We could have won the match. After they scored, they had chances to score again, and they could have won the match.
"What is clear is that the opponent doesn't need to command the match to create chances."
Preston North End manager Alex Neil told BBC Radio Lancashire:
"Tactically, I think it was one of those games where both teams were trying to nullify each other.
"I don't think many teams will go to-to-toe with them.
"I think they have been really dominant against a lot of teams, so for the lads to do what they did tonight, and put that amount of effort into it, I was really, really pleased for the lads- I thought they did great."
Line-ups
Preston
Formation 4-2-3-1
- 1Rudd
- 2FisherBooked at 86mins
- 21Bauer
- 6Davies
- 15Rafferty
- 4Pearson
- 8Browne
- 44Potts
- 11Johnson
- 29BarkhuizenSubstituted forGreenat 90+1'minutes
- 35NugentSubstituted forMaguireat 72'minutes
Substitutes
- 12Gallagher
- 16Hughes
- 18Ledson
- 19Green
- 20Stockley
- 24Maguire
- 25Ripley
Leeds
Formation 4-1-4-1
- 13Casilla
- 2Ayling
- 5White
- 28BerardiSubstituted forRobertsat 77'minutes
- 10Alioski
- 23Phillips
- 17Hélder Costa
- 15Dallas
- 43Klich
- 22Harrison
- 9BamfordSubstituted forNketiahat 77'minutes
Substitutes
- 3Douglas
- 11Roberts
- 14Nketiah
- 30Miazek
- 36Gotts
- 40Davis
- 47Clarke
- Referee:
- Kevin Friend
- Attendance:
- 18,275
Match Stats
Home TeamPrestonAway TeamLeeds
- Possession
- Home37%
- Away63%
- Shots
- Home11
- Away22
- Shots on Target
- Home2
- Away3
- Corners
- Home4
- Away8
- Fouls
- Home9
- Away9
Live Text
Post update
Full Time
Second Half ends, Preston North End 1, Leeds United 1.
Post update
Tyler Roberts (Leeds United) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
Post update
Foul by Ben Pearson (Preston North End).
Post update
Attempt missed. Brad Potts (Preston North End) header from the left side of the box is close, but misses to the right. Assisted by Alan Browne following a set piece situation.
Post update
Foul by Kalvin Phillips (Leeds United).
Post update
Alan Browne (Preston North End) wins a free kick on the left wing.
Post update
Attempt blocked. Brad Potts (Preston North End) right footed shot from outside the box is blocked. Assisted by Ben Pearson.
Substitution
Substitution, Preston North End. Andre Green replaces Tom Barkhuizen.
Post update
Attempt blocked. Tyler Roberts (Leeds United) right footed shot from the right side of the box is blocked. Assisted by Mateusz Klich.
Post update
Attempt blocked. Mateusz Klich (Leeds United) right footed shot from outside the box is blocked. Assisted by Ezgjan Alioski.
Goal!
Goal! Preston North End 1, Leeds United 1. Eddie Nketiah (Leeds United) header from the centre of the box to the high centre of the goal. Assisted by Jack Harrison with a cross following a set piece situation.
Post update
Attempt blocked. Tyler Roberts (Leeds United) right footed shot from outside the box is blocked. Assisted by Luke Ayling.
Post update
Attempt blocked. Kalvin Phillips (Leeds United) right footed shot from outside the box is blocked.
Booking
Darnell Fisher (Preston North End) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.
Post update
Eddie Nketiah (Leeds United) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
Post update
Foul by Darnell Fisher (Preston North End).
Post update
Attempt missed. Tom Barkhuizen (Preston North End) header from the centre of the box is just a bit too high. Assisted by Alan Browne with a cross following a corner.
Post update
Corner, Preston North End. Conceded by Kiko Casilla.
Post update
Attempt saved. Sean Maguire (Preston North End) right footed shot from a difficult angle on the right is saved in the centre of the goal. Assisted by Ben Pearson.
