Preston 0 Albion 2

Albion set up a second meeting inside a week with Manchester United last night.

They did so by recording the club’s first ever win at Deepdale - at the 17th attempt.

And it was all carried out with a lot of style – capped by two finishes from men in form.

Alireza Jahanbakhsh fired home a 57th-minute opener to add to his thunderbolt against Portsmouth in the previous round.

And Alexis Mac Allister got on the end of some brilliant creativity from Pascal Gross to end any doubt over the outcome.

Albion might have scored more and were in charge from the moment Jason Steele’s fabulous first-half save denied Jayden Stockley an opener for Preston.

The prize is a home Carabao Cup fourth-round tie versus Manchester United, the club who come south in the Premier League on Saturday.

Graham Potter’s latest all-change line-up (or two changes compared to their previous cup tie) included Dan Burn to the right of Haydon Roberts in the middle of a back four.

The Argus:

Davy Propper enjoyed more game time with full debutant Max Sanders his sidekick as a deeper-lying midfield pairing.

Of some note was the absence of Jayson Molumby, the midfielder used out of position at right-back in the 4-0 win over Portsmouth.

Joel Veltman took the right-back role this time.

Albion were mainly focussed on defensive duties in the early stages against a North End side showing nine changes to their previous league outing.

But they settled and played some busy, attractive passing football without, initially, the end product to trouble home keeper Connor Ripley.

Gross had an audacious go for goal with a free-kick from 35 yards out as players from both sides expected him to aim for the big men at the far post. But the German’s effort was too high.

Steele’s instructions and encouragement echoed around the empty Deepdale stands as Albion got a grip on proceedings.

They almost conjured an opening goal just after the half-hour.

Viktor Gyokeres did some good targetman work in the move, Mac Allister’s pass and Jahanbakhsh’s run outwitted Preston’s attempt to play offside – but the Iranian saw his shot from quite a tight angle parried behind by Ripley at his near post.

It was a decent stop – but his fellow former Middlesbrough keeper Steele bettered it shortly after.

Preston broke through the middle and Stockley got the ball on to his right foot before shooting low to Steele’s left.

The Albion keeper reacted sharply and tipped the ball behind.

The Argus:

Steele and his defence could not do much to combat the subsequent corner as Patrick Bauer arrived but his header flicked off the bar and over.

Mac Allister should really have tried to add a second Carabao Cup goal to his name just before the break when played in to the left of goal.

Rather than shoot, he tried to square the ball and saw it deflect behind off Bauer.

Albion had enjoyed a lot of first-half possession but not often managed to pass their way through.

Burn went long and crossfield early in the second period for Bernardo, whose angled effort deflected narrowly wide of the far post with Ripley scrambling.

Shorter, sharp interchanges then saw Mac Allister flash a low shot past the far post from five yards or so outside the box.

Gyokeres was a bit further off target when he had the confidence to go from similar range after more nice passing.

The breakthrough came, though – and in some style on 57 minutes.

Steele started the attack with a clean catch under pressure and quick distribution.

Mac Allister was involved and the ball reached Bernardo, whose cross from the left beat everyone except Jahanbakhsh beyond the far post.

The Iranian thumped a shot back across Ripley and inside the far post.

Albion were well worth the lead and wizardry from Gross helped them double it.

The Argus:

After a period of super passing in the final third, he pulled off his favourite Cruyff-like turn tight to the byline and cut the ball back into the path of Mac Allister, who fired home.

Gyokeres, offering more of a presence than against Portsmouth, crashed a shot narrowly wide of the far post after some strong approach work. But the job was done.

Preston: Ripley; Rafferty, Bauer, Storey, Hughes; Bayliss, Gallagher (Pearson 72), Bodin (Sinclair 70), Potts; Harrop (Maguire 71), Stockley. Subs not used: Fisher, Davies, O’Reilly, Maguire, Hudson.

Albion: Steele; Veltman, Burn, Roberts, Bernardo; Propper, Sanders (Cochrane 87); Jahanbakhsh (Jenks 84), Mac Allister (Gwargis 80), Gross; Gyokeres. Subs not used Sanchez, Yapi, Dendoncker.

Goals: Jahanbakhsh 57, Mac Allister 75.

Referee: S.Martin.