'Going to be hurting' - Ryan Lowe's warning to Preston North End players for Birmingham City clash

Preston North End manager Ryan Lowe expects nothing other than a difficult encounter at Birmingham City.

The Lilywhites breezed past Rotherham United on Good Friday and now head to St Andrew's, for the Easter Monday clash. Gary Rowett is interim boss of the Blues - who are right in and amongst the relegation scrap and lost in the last minute, to Queens Park Rangers last time out. North End's boss knows how determined the home side will be to bounce back and pull away from trouble.

"It is a challenge in that they are fighting for their lives and their careers," said Lowe. "It is not going to be easy. Like (Friday), I always get worried about games like this. I don't ever tell anyone that, but my own gut feel thinks it and that's why I asked for attitude and application to be extra special from the boys (versus Rotherham). It has been, since I came in. We will get back to the drawing board, the lads will recover and we'll put the game plan together for Birmingham.

"We've got to worry about us and know their strengths and weaknesses. Hopefully the lads can take the game plan to fruition, but it is not going to be easy. Every game from now, until the end of the season, when you are playing teams down there, they are fighting for their lives. They are going to be hurting, but we've got to go about our business the right way."

Lowe added: "We've just got to keep going. It's one down, two to go - I have said about the three game blocks and the points tally we may need, which is in the back of our heads. Other teams have got to lose and we've got to keep winning, to sustain it. I just want me and the coaching staff to keep doing the right things, with the players, on the training pitch.

"If we keep performing and keep winning, then who knows? I know we have to play Norwich at home, which will be an excellent game if the points tally is still around the same. We've just got to worry about the next one and when the next one comes, we've got to perform to get a result."