Harrison Armstrong suffered defeat with Preston North End on Saturday, but the Everton loanee was at the centre of a crucial moment.
Everton sent Harrison Armstrong on loan to Preston North End on transfer deadline day, just as Merlin Rohl arrived.
Armstrong was left on the bench at first, but has now established himself as a key man in PNE’s midfield.
North End boss Paul Heckingbottom is a big fan of Armstrong, but he saw the midfielder involved in a controversial moment on Saturday.
West Bromwich Albion v Preston North End - Sky Bet Championship
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Everton talent Harrison Armstrong at centre of referee ‘sickener’
PNE lost 2-1 at West Bromwich Albion on Saturday, with Armstrong joining Ben Whiteman and Tottenham Hotspur loanee Alfie Devine in the engine room.
At 0-0, one PNE attack saw the ball run free inside the penalty area.
Armstrong appeared to get there first and went down under a challenge from Manchester United loanee Toby Collyer.
Armstrong appealed for a penalty, but it was all in vain as play continued without a spot kick being awarded.
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Heckingbottom certainly wasn’t happy, telling the Lancashire Post that the decision was a ‘sickener’.
It’s great to see Armstrong attacking the box late, but Heckingbottom was left to rue a ‘wrong’ decision from referee Andrew Kitchen.
“We know how tight this league is and how fine the margins are. We didn’t take our moments. One huge decision which the ref got wrong went against us as well, but they’ve scored two really good goals in terms of the finishes,” said Heckingbottom.
“Sometimes you hear the referee to the fourth – ‘he’s played the ball’ – and you have to accept that. But then I literally turned around to look, and when I saw he was nowhere near the ball instantly, then that’s the sickener,” he added.
Former Everton talent Isaac Price takes down Harrison Armstrong’s PNE
Armstrong suffered his first defeat as a PNE player, and it was a former Everton man who delivered the killer blow.
Mikey Johnston fired West Brom in front, but former Toffees talent Isaac Price curled home number two.
Price quit Everton for a move to Standard Liege in 2023, but returned to English football with Everton in January 2025.
The Northern Ireland international has started the season in strong form and scored what proved to be the winner on Saturday.
Michael Smith pulled one back for PNE late on, but Armstrong and co suffered a frustrating defeat at The Hawthorns.