Preston North End's Alan Browne not looking for excuses after Burnley and Sheffield United clashes

In the last week PNE have faced off against two of the favourites for promotion this season, drawing 1-1 with Burnley and losing 2-0 to Sheffield United.

The week compounds their start to the season that has seen just two wins in their first 10 games.

Browne is not looking for excuses when it comes to their current plight, their dominance in previous games doing nothing to soften the blow of faltering form.

He said: “You could allow a bit of leniency if we'd won the games that we'd dominated but because we're not getting those wins it doesn't mean anything. I think we should be right up there given the quality of our performances and chances that we've had.

"We could be right up there probably near the top, we have played that well in certain games. If you can't score goals then you're not going to win and you're not going to creep up the table, you're just going to keep dropping and dropping.

"If you're not getting points every week it gets you nowhere. The break is probably coming at a good time now, we're not in the worst position and it gives us time”

With goals coming at a premium so far for Preston, three in the league, confidence, or a lack of, could begin to play a factor.

Although confidence hasn’t been lacking so far, Browne feels it’s a problem that will only get worse whilst the fans suffer through goalless games.

He said: “It's probably slowly creeping in. I don't think there has been a lack of confidence for large parts of the season, I think most games we've gone in to it thinking 'this game is the game, once we get one we'll keep them coming' but it's not happening for us.

"I thought we might have turned things around from Coventry City, Emil Riis coming on and getting his goal, I thought we might kick on from there but it's not to be.

"It's probably a poor watch from the fans' perspective and the coaching staff because we work on getting into good areas every day and putting the ball in the back of the net. Then we get to the game and we're just not doing it.”