Preston North End's Bambo Diaby not scared of Watford test and opens up on special bond with Manchester United loanee

The Hornets were tipped to be one of the front runners for promotion this season, having only been relegated from the top flight in the summer.

But North End go into the game unbeaten in their last four games, with a good performance in the week and Diaby is full of positivity going into the contest.

He started in midweek against Coventry City having previously waited a month for his chance off the bench against Hull in the game before.

Now he’s looking to take the game to Watford and to keep impressing whilst he has a spot in the first team.

He said: "Every game is a real test but personally, I am not scared of any team. I trust in my teammates, I always say that. We have very good players and I think that we've shown that. We've shown that we have quality enough for any team so I'm not scared of any team.

"We go there and try to get the three points because that is what we want. The only thing that we need now is the positive things, the positive vibes. I'm a guy like that, I'm always positive.

"I want to go there to show what we have in the team and try to get the three points. We're not going there to look at how they play, we go there to fight against them.

"We know they're a good team but they know we're a good team as well. We're not scared, we'll got there and try to get the three points.

On taking his chance, Diaby continued: “I need to work, always, and try to wait for my opportunity because we have very good players. It's very competitive in the dressing room and that's good because you need to keep your level higher.

"If you're playing it's good, because it's easier to keep the level high but if you're not, you need to work hard to get the level. Then when you get the opportunity, you need to try and keep your place in the team.

"I think I have something different, normally I think centre backs have a different quality but because I trust in God so well he gives me the physique.

"I just work hard to keep that and I think I have different things from other defenders but we have the same objectives, to keep a clean sheet.”

Diaby shares a friendship with fellow Spaniard Alvaro Fernandez and the pair are inseparable around their Euxton training ground. Although born in Senegal, the 25-year-old moved to Spain when he was young and spent most of his life there before moving away for his football career.

With Manchester United youngster Fernandez on his first loan away from his parent club, having initially come through at Real Madrid, Diaby has struck up a special bond with the flying wing back.

“He's a very special guy, he's like my little bro,” Diaby said. “You have to take care of everything that he does but he's a very nice guy. I'm always with him because it's easier for us to understand because we are Spanish.

"When we're on the field, I think we play similar football because we started at academies in Spain so we understand each other but sometimes I can't find him because he's so far from me.

"I need to understand more English so I can get more partners on the pitch!”