'You don't go' - Ex-Liverpool star's damning verdict of Preston North End's play-off chances

Ex-Preston North End and Liverpool defender, Mark Lawrenson, is not giving his old club any chance in the Championship play-off race.

The Lilywhites head into this weekend’s round in eighth spot, five points adrift of sixth placed Norwich City - who have played one more game than PNE. Coventry City are in seventh, while Middlesbrough and Hull City occupy ninth and tenth placed, respectively.

PNE will look to get back on track, this weekend, at Watford. It’s then Huddersfield Town and Norwich at home, before Southampton and QPR away. Leicester City are the penultimate opponents at Deepdale, before the final day trip to West Brom. Ex-Match of the Day pundit, Lawrenson, simply does not think North End have enough to break into the top six.

“I can’t see Preston sneaking into the Play-Offs,” Lawrenson told Paddy Power. “If you want to get to the Play-Offs, you don’t go to Birmingham and get beat 1-0 - and hardly have any chances whatsoever.

“They are just going to be on the fringe. Although they started the season and won all those games, I can’t see them doing it again. They play well one week and the next week, they’re average. You don’t get in the Play-Offs doing that.”