Preston North End boss Alex Neil knows the score when it comes to fixing drop-off in goal tally

The PNE manager has used four different centre-forwards in the four games since the season restarted.

Tonight’s trip to Sheffield Wednesday (7.45pm) could see another rethink in the wake of Saturday’s goalless draw with Huddersfield.

North End have dried up in front of goal having started the season strongly in terms of finding the back of the net.

They netted 31 goals in the first 16 league games, that covering up to and including the 3-1 win over Huddersfield in November.

The 25 matches since have seen only 21 goals scored.

Neil hopes to have leading scorer Daniel Johnson back in the frame tonight after injury, which would be a big boost as North End look to give their fading play-off chances a fighting chance.

Addressing the inbalance of goals as the campaign has gone on, Neil said: “If you look at our expected-goals stats and the chances we did create earlier, it was never going to be sustainable over the course of the season.

“If it was going to be sustainable, DJ would be on about 35 goals now.

“The simple fact is that we have struggled at the top end of the pitch in terms of scoring as many goals as we would have liked.

“It is tough that in the windows gone by we have lost Callum Robinson and Jordan Hugill who guaranteed you goals at this level.

“There are guys who have stepped up to score us goals, Tom Barkhuizen has scored more this season and DJ has scored more than he has done before in this division,

“We haven’t got as many across the squad though.”

Johnson, with 12 goals this season, has missed the last two matches.

Neil hopes he can make it back in time for tonight, so too Paul Gallagher who sat out the Huddersfield game.

On the goals hunt, Neil said: “One thing I can’t fault is the lads’ effort in term of trying to score.

“I have played a number of centre-forwards this season and in the four games since we restarted I have used four different lads.

“With us not having a striker who has scored a lot of goals, we need to manipulate games in our favour.

“That means that we might have to change it from game to game to use the different strengths players have.

“Jayden Stockley is a targetman who isn’t going to stretch the game behind.

“Sean Maguire can be better off the left where he is more elusive, Barky gives us pace, David Nugent is a good foil if you need to turn the ball up there.”