'Absolutely' - Duane Holmes issues Preston North End promise ahead of huge Norwich City encounter

Preston North End midfielder Duane Holmes has every confidence that the Lilywhites can make a late break into the play-offs.

Ryan Lowe’s side got back to winning ways on Tuesday night, as Milutin Osmajic’s remarkable, seven minute hat-trick clinched a 4-1 win over Huddersfield Town. North End’s next game is at home to Norwich City, who occupy sixth spot and are five points better off than Preston. PNE have one game in hand on them, but Holmes knows Saturday’s clash must bring three points. And, he feels that the home fans have a huge part to play.

“Absolutely,” said Holmes. “We need everyone to be right behind us and like I say, we are full of belief that we can go and do something this year. That is not going to change. We knew this week was massive. We’ve still got a good chance and we know we can beat any team in this division.

“We are confident in ourselves and we’re going to keep believing that we can go and do something special. We know what we have got in the dressing room and on the pitch... we are not going to give it up. We are going to need everyone and we’ve got a great, tight knit squad that will push this club to get as high as we can.”

It’s been a season of two halves for summer signing Holmes. The versatile, experienced midfielder was a mainstay in the side - and a stand-out performer at the start of the campaign. But, the form of Mads Frokjaer in 2024 has seen him spend more time on the bench. With injuries hitting the PNE squad, Holmes has also done a job at wing-back on a couple of occasions. He is a player who always wants to play, but his spirits have not been dampened too much.

“It’s been alright,” said Holmes. “I had a little injury, but nothing too bad. I’ve not really played as much as I did in the first half of the season, but it’s a team game and the team is still doing really well. We’ve still got a great chance to go and do something really good this year - and that’s what we are going to try and do.

“I have played (wing back) a couple of times and it’s a very different kind of fitness to being in the midfield. You are expected to be in the box all the time and then you’ve got to be covering round, as a defender. I think it helps having someone like Jordan (Storey), who you know - if it comes to it - can defend one-on-one. He is quick, he is strong and talks he through the game really well.”