Preston boss Ryan Lowe makes Leeds United prediction amid key trio injury concern

Preston North End reignited their Championship hopes with Saturday's 2-0 win over Bristol City at Deepdale. That's the belief of Lilywhites boss Ryan Lowe, who insists his players will travel to Elland Road to take on Leeds United this weekend with plenty of belief.

Preston have been through a rough patch of form of late, winning just three of their last 11 Championship games and that form had seen them slip out of the top half of the table. Saturday's win saw them move back up to 12th, though, and they'll have high hopes of moving to within touching distance of the top six by doing the double over the Whites on Sunday afternoon.

“I said in my programme notes today we wanted to get our Championship campaign back on track and I said that to the players," Lowe said after the game. “We’ve been in all week and worked on several things. They’re a good team and a good set of lads, and they’ve got to have more belief.

“I think we all have and we’ll see where it takes us. To be two points outside the play-offs now – I know the league’s crazy and we’re not getting too carried away – is credit to the group as well.

“We’re not far off and if we start believing a bit more then we’ll go to Leeds [with confidence]. We know it’s going to be a tough encounter, but it was tough when we played them here.

“We’ve got to embrace that a little bit more and we’ve got to have that little bit of pride and passion that we can go wherever we’re gonna go and perform and hopefully get wins.”

Lowe will be checking on the fitness of three players this week, though, it seems, with Ched Evans, Brad Potts and Alan Browne struggling with issues.

"He just had a tight calf," Lowe said on Potts. "He actually said when it went 2-0, he thought to get off quickly. So again, good game management from him - knowing there were obviously 12 minutes to go and to get off the pitch, not to risk it. He just had tightness in his calf, but he'll be fine."

"Ched took a bang on his knee, but he was trying to get through it. It was actually his missus who told him to get in and tell the physios and manager that his knee was sore! He's obviously brave Ched, isn't he and he doesn't want to miss a game over a bang on his knee. But, we scanned him and checked it and it's all good.

"Browney is the same. He's got a niggling groin, near his stomach and he's been playing through the pain barrier. So again, we will have to look after him and get him some down days as well. We will get them fit and make sure they are ready for the next one."