Victory on the road would make a huge difference says Preston North End boss Frankie McAvoy

The Lilywhites head to St Andrew’s (3pm) unbeaten in seven matches.

Of the five league games in that run they have won two and PNE head coach McAvoy wants to tip the balance towards three points.

The draws they got against Bristol City, Sheffield United and West Bromwich Albion were thoroughly merited.

They will look even better if they can bring back a win from the West Midlands.

McAvoy said: “We’ve had some good results recently but we’d like to have won more in the league.

“Scoring more goals than the opposition is the simple answer to how you turn a draw into a win.

“The harder part is doing that and I just think we need a bit more composure at times when chances come our way.

“We’ve shown we can score goals, someone showed me a stat this week that we are only one of six teams to have scored 20 goals this season.

“Quite a lot of those have come in the Carabao Cup but we’ve shown we can score in the Championship too.

“In the league we’ve got to make sure we convert chances when the games are tight.

“Championship games are tough and you need to take things which come your way.”

In midweek McAvoy made seven changes to the side for the Cheltenham game.

He was able to give Ryan Ledson, Daniel Johnson, Josh Earl and Patrick Bauer the night off.

Sean Maguire and Sepp van den Berg moved to the bench, however they were pressed into action in the first half after injuries to Connor Wickham and Liam Lindsay.

It was mixed news on the casualty front, Wickham has to see a specialist about damaging his hamstring and potentially facing a lengthy spell on the sidelines.

Lindsay’s knee injury is not as serious as first feared, a strain on the medial ligament the diagnosis.

McAvoy said: “I changed things a bit on Tuesday night and we got a good result.

“When you change the team and win, it causes a bit of a selection headache for me.

“That is what you want, all your players desperate to play and be involved.”

Tom Barkhuizen and Scott Sinclair were back with the squad for training yesterday after being ill.

Sinclair could return to the squad at Birmingham but it might be a bit too soon for Barkhuizen as he shakes off the effects of Covid as an asthmatic.

McAvoy said: “Tom being back in training is us cranking it up a bit to see how he does.

“He’s feeling better but this game might be too soon.”