Andy Moran is already living up to the challenge set to him by Graham Alexander at Preston North End

Andy Moran has been a Preston North End player for 270 days but has only played for 759 minutes so far.

The Irish playmaker was a coup for Preston in the January transfer window, signing him for over £1 million from Brighton, yet fans have rarely had the chance to see him in action.

Moran has made just 16 appearances. Only seven of them starts, with one coming this season in the Carabao Cup defeat to Everton.

Yet, despite North End being out-classed by Premier League opposition, Moran was a stand out performer. Positive and elegant on the ball.

With a new manager, supporters had hoped for new opportunities. Moran has had to be patient, making just two appearances for Graham Alexander off the bench, but he's edging closer to finally being back in the starting XI.

Andy Moran was set a challenge by Graham Alexander

With things going so wrong on the pitch this season, fans have been desperate for anything that could possibly spark a change. Moran getting a proper chance remains a clamour.

So much so that a degree of annoyance was expressed from some corners when Alexander said Moran's talents must come with tangible outputs if he is to play.

"I think he's really technically very good," Alexander said ahead of the Wrexham game.

"He's an intelligent footballer but what I've spoken to him about, maybe two or three days ago, you have to use that creativity to create chances and score goals.

"We're not playing 10 passes a goal. This goes for all our team. We're constantly reaffirming the message about we have to score more than the opponent, it's not about playing pretty patterns.

"It's about that white thing at the end of the pitch where you have to stick the ball, in basic terms."

Some fans pointed out that Moran can't score or create goals if he's never on the pitch, but the 23-year-old finally got a substantial opportunity against West Brom.

Unlike at Birmingham City when he came on the break with the team already 3-0 down, Preston were very much in the match when Moran replaced Alfie Devine on Saturday.

Within minutes, he'd played a nice forward ball in the build-up to a move he eventually got the final shot in.

His effort, in a very good position in the box, was flicked wide when he could have perhaps done better, but Alexander was pleased with the intent. The fact Moran made a tangible impact on the game, which continued throughout his performance, ensured he did exactly what Alexander had asked of him, even if he didn't manage to score.

“What I like about him is that he ended up in the box himself”

Alexander praised Moran in the immediate aftermath of West Brom, revealing he was close to naming him in the starting XI.

That remains the case ahead of Saturday's trip to Stoke City, even if Devine has the all clear after some calf troubles.

"Oh 100 per cent yeah," Alexander told The Post on Wednesday when asked if Moran was still pushing for a starting berth.

"I think Andy was tenacious in the press, he supported the front two at all times, he's a creative player, he passed forward, he ran forward. That's the biggest thing.

"I questioned him in the first week I was here. You can see he's got the talent on the ball but is it going to hurt the opponent? Is he going to play forward, run forward?

"I think he made several telling passes going forward on the counter-attack but what I like about him is that he ended up in the box himself.

"I think it's just having that intent around our team when we have possession. What is our intent? What are we trying to do with it? It's got to be towards creating opportunities to score. It has to be that. If we have all our players with that mindset, then we will win games."

In just one 45 minute appearance, Moran showed Alexander he can deliver exactly what he wants.

Imagine what he could if given a start.