Former Preston North End boss David Moyes praises PNE's play-off push under Alex Neil

PNE head to Reading this weekend unbeaten in 12 games and outside the top six only on goal difference.

Eight wins and four draws have propelled Neil’s men up the Championship and made them genuine contenders for the play-offs.

Moyes, who still lives in Preston, has watched their rise with admiration.

Speaking on BBC Five Live, Moyes said: “Preston have done incredible, they are unbeaten since the turn of the year.

“Alex has done a great job with the players.

“I’ve got to say, I think the players they signed in January have helped.

“Preston didn’t play particularly well in the first half of the season but in the window they signed two or three new players and got a few back from injury.

David Moyes at Springfields during his time as PNE boss

“They’re in there and I think in a strange way they don’t have a team full of – it would be wrong to call them superstars – but what I’d say is that they’ve got a good team.

“Alex has done well with them, he’s done remarkably well to get them where they are in the division.”

Moyes, 55, was North End manager between January 1998 and March 2002.

He led them to the Second Division title in May 2000 and to within 90 minutes of the Premier League a year later.

The Scotsman left PNE to join Everton and, after 11 years on Merseyside, succeeded Sir Alex Ferguson at Manchester United.

Moyes has been linked with the Celtic job recently.