Graphic: Bill Edgar's tactical analysis

The feeling of fury from Adam Pearson, the Derby County chairman, at this performance will have quickly given way to relief that the American investors about to take control of the club had signed the contract before this desperate chapter in the club’s history unfolded.

“As long as the deal was signed before kick-off we should be all right,” Paul Jewell, the Derby manager, said as he tried to maintain his sense of humour despite admitting that this was the lowest point of his career.

Despite Jewell’s banter in the face of a darkening crisis, he had a point. Andrew Appleby, president of General Sports and Entertainment, the American company that is taking over Derby, will be presented at Pride Park this afternoon, but what he made of the product he is buying into must have left him somewhat perplexed, to say the least. Preston North End could be relegated to Coca-Cola League One this season, yet Alan Irvine’s side were in control before the interval courtesy of a three-goal lead gifted to them by defending akin to a Sunday-morning pub team.

Andy Todd was at fault for the first two goals, taken expertly by Karl Hawley and Simon Whaley, while Lewin Nyatanga’s incompetence allowed Hawley to score Preston’s third in the 45th minute. Robert Earnshaw, on as a substitute, pulled one back for Derby after half-time, but their humiliation was complete in stoppage time when Nyatanga tripped Neil Mellor to receive a red card and allow the Preston forward to convert the penalty.

Jewell will be given millions to spend in the summer, but even this news failed to mask the manager’s disgust at the way his team capitulated. “That’s as a bad as it’s been,” he said. “The mistakes we make beggar belief and just seem to lead to goals.”

Derby County (4-4-2): L Price 6 — M Edworthy 4, A Todd 5 (sub: G Barnes, 46min 7), C Davis 4, L Nyatanga 4 — H Ghaly 7, R Savage 8, S Pearson 6, E Lewis 6 (sub: G Teale, 24 6) — E Villa 6 (sub: R Earnshaw, 46 6), K Miller 6. Substitutes not used: B Hinchliffe, D Leacock. Booked: Pearson. Sent off: Nyatanga. Next: Manchester City (h)

Preston North End (4-4-2): A Lonergan 7 — S St Ledger 7, Y Mawene 7, L Chilvers 7, C Davidson 6 (sub: M Hill, 46 6) — C Sedgwick 7, P McKenna 7, D Carter 7, S Whaley 7 (sub: K Nicholls, 85) — K Hawley 8 (sub: N Mellor, 85), C Brown 7. Substitutes not used: C Neal, B Ormerod. Booked: Sedgwick. Next: West Bromwich Albion

Referee L Probert
Attendance 17,344

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