In a high tempo fixture the Blades continued their good form and gathered their seventh point from the last three league games to climb away from the bottom four relegation slots to rise to above mid-table as they make a push towards the play-offs.
The start of the match was played out with little nerves showing as each team played cautious balls across the back four before flighted balls went out of play or cleared without danger. Ben Davies deputised at right-back in place of the missing Craig Alcock who suffered a niggle in the recent League Cup victory at West Ham United. With seven minutes gone he thread through Jamal Campbell-Ryce and his sweet cross to the far post was almost turned home by Michael Higdon but he was eventually bundled over by Tom Clarke.
United pressed and seconds later almost saw them rewarded, Campbell-Ryce again teased his way through the North End defence, his looping cross was met by the head of Higdon but Jones in the Lilywhites goal did well to turn his effort around the post.
With United finding their form the hosts struck a hammer blow via Andy Little's controversial 11th minute opener. Joe Garner and a sea of United defence ran across Little's free-kick but it somehow evaded everyone including stopper Howard and nestled into the goal.
United were inches away from levelling the scores midway through the first half when Campbell-Ryce fired another centre into the box but Murphy couldn't get onto the end of it as the visitors looked dangerous once more. Campbell-Ryce then pounced on a poor back-pass minutes later but with the goal at his mercy was unable to lob keeper Jones and the chance was gone.
With five minutes remaining of the first half Baxter struck with a bang. His angled shot took a slight deflection before finding Jones' right hand corner of the goal.
At the interval Preston withdrew their own Ben Davies, making the radio commentary easier to understand for listeners. Campbell-Ryce, who was having the best game in a red and white shirt, was again causing trouble on the flanks but it was United's Davies who unleashed a ball into the box which Jones reacted well to manage Collins effort.
Six minutes into the second forty-five minutes Davies tested the home keeper with a powerful free-kick from the edge of the box. The tempo rose as both sides went close with end to end action as the 11,000 crowd looked on edge and eager for their team to score. Howard displayed a flying save to prevent Humphrey and once again was in action as his world class save from King kept North End at bay in the 56th minute but the home faithful had wheeled away in celebration after deeming the ball had crossed the line.
At the other end Jones too produced excellent saves, denying Davies and then Higdon headed Campbell-Ryce's cross and looked to have taken the lead until it was harried off the line. Preston was soon on the attack again and on 71st minute Howard was on form to prevent substitute Hugill at the near post. On 76th minute former Blades striker Paul Gallacher came on for Little before Higdon made way for McNulty as United made their first change of the match.
As the game drew to a close Gallacher was thwarted from a fine save from Howard, this time tipping his effort onto the foot of the post as the scores finished level.
Preston North End: Jones, Wiseman, Clarke, Humphrey, Kilkenny, Garner, Little, B Davies, King, Brownhill, Browne. Substuitutes: Stuckmann, Wright, K Davies, Gallagher, Woods, Hayhurst, Hugill.
Sheffield United: Howard, Basham, Doyle, Murphy, Baxter, Collins, B Davies, McGahey, McEveley, Campbell-Ryce, Higdon. Substitutes: Turner, Harris, Wallace, Flynn,McNulty, McGinn, Reed.