Preston North End in Numbers: No substitute for Ched Evans’ experience

The striker found the net against Middlesbrough and Fulham after coming on in both games as a substitute.

Evans was the first PNE substitute to score in a Championship game this season.

Emil Riis had done so in the Carabao Cup win against Mansfield Town in August but there had not been such an impact in a league game.

Before Evans headed the equaliser at Middlesbrough a week last Tuesday, you had to go back to Frankie McAvoy’s first game in interim charge for a sub to have found the net in the Championship.

That was on Good Friday when Brad Potts scored in stoppage time against Norwich City at Deepdale.

Evans’ recent two goals have put him as North End’s joint third highest scorer in the league this season.

Riis leads the way with eight in the Championship, then comes Ben Whiteman who has scored four.

Evans has joined Daniel Johnson and Patrick Bauer on two league goals.

North End have had nine players find the net in Championship action, with Josh Earl, Sepp van den Berg, Sean Maguire and Ali McCann the others.

Meanwhile, Johnson will bring up a landmark appearance the next time he steps on to the pitch.

The midfielder is on 299 career appearances, with 274 of those being in a PNE shirt.

Johnson reached 299 when he came on as a sub at Middlesbrough.

But he did not get off the bench against Fulham last week, with Frankie McAvoy forced into two defensive subs because of injuries.