Boss Sven Goran-Eriksson made seven changes to the side that crashed out of the Carling Cup to West Bromwich Albion in midweek.
Loanees Kyle Naughton and Greg Cunningham were recalled to the starting 11 whilst Matty Fryatt and Martyn Waghorn lead the Foxes attack in a rejuvenated Foxes line up. Steve Howard and Frank Moussa were rested while Lloyd Dyer was sidelined with an injury.
Preston’s starting 11 included former Leicester City players Iain Hume, Callum Davidson and Wayne Brown – who departed Leicester under a grey cloud in May after a training ground bust up with team mates surrounding the defender’s controversial political views.
A glance at the team sheet would have left the Foxes faithful brimming with confidence before the match - but any optimism was nearly lost in the opening minute as the visitors made the first impression.
After just 30 seconds, Preston’s Adam Barton was able to run through the heart of the City defence – thanks in no small part to a slip from Jack Hobbs – but with only Weale to beat, the midfielder fired his effort wide of goal.
The early opening served as a wake up call for the Foxes who began to dominate the early exchanges and, had Waghorn kept his composure in the Preston box, the Foxes would have taken the lead on eight minutes.
An attacking run from Kyle Naughton on the right wing culminated in an inswinging cross to the back post, the ball was knocked down to Waghorn on the edge of the box but his half volley spooned horrendously into the Kop.
A well balanced Leicester side continued to show real attacking intent with Naughton and Yuki Abe combining superbly on the right wing, freeing up space for Andy King and Richie Wellens who were pulling the strings in midfield.
After 20 minutes the home side finally looked to have opened the scoring through a rare Richie Wellens strike after some good link up play between Waghorn and King allowed the midfielder the space needed to release a shot, but his effort flew wide of Lonergan’s right hand post.
Preston looked second best all over the field and it was only a matter of time before the home side found the net. And, indeed the Foxes attacking persistence was eventually rewarded when Paul Gallagher smashed the ball home from the edge of the box after 35 minutes.
Martyn Waghorn and Yuki Abe were again involved in the attacking third, with the Japanese star picking out Gallagher whose neat footwork freed up the space to fire a left foot shot low and hard past Lonergan to put the Foxes ahead.
Just as the Foxes looked to be sailing towards half time with their lead intact, Preston came close to stealing an undeserved equaliser through Darel Russell after Keith Treacy picked out the midfielder from the left wing. Russell had the whole goal to aim at but his looping header lacked any power and Chris Weale was able to tip the ball over the bar.
After the break the Foxes continued to dominate proceedings and impressive loanee Greg Cunningham nearly doubled the home sides lead after a dummy from Andy King allowed the full back to continue his darting run into the box, but his effort just evaded the far post.
Chances were few and far between as the Foxes looked to suck the life out of the match with the intention of keeping the ball and grinding out the win in the final 20 minutes.
However, Paul Gallagher nearly doubled his and his team’s goal tally for the afternoon when a Kyle Naughton centre fell to the strikers feet, but his powerful drive was tipped around the post superbly by Lonergan to set up a tense final five minutes for the Foxes - who had kept just one clean sheet so far this campaign.
As if the script had been written, the increasingly unpopular Wayne Brown nearly stole a point for Preston in the dying moments of stoppage time as they piled 11 men into the box for one final attempt to salvage a result.
And, it looked like the visitors had pulled off an upset when the ball was met mid-flight by Brown’s powerful header but it lacked direction and the Foxes escaped with three points as the ball flew agonisingly wide to sum up a frustrating afternoon for Darren Ferguson’s men.