Express & Star

Preston 'wolf pack' hoping to bite Nuno's Wolves

The 'wolf pack' analogy has been used countless times about Wolves over the years.

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Preston boss Alex Neil thinks it suits his team pretty well too.

Many thought the Lancashire side would struggle this season after losing manager Simon Grayson to Sunderland, while last season's star loan player Aiden McGeady has joined him at the Stadium of Light.

But the Lilywhites have confounded expectations and currently sit fifth in the table having lost just one game so far.

They also possess the league's best defensive record, with only eight conceded.

A high-pressing game has been quickly perfected and the likes of Tom Barkhuizen and Sean Maguire are making names for themselves, while Jordan Hugill – who almost joined Wolves in the summer – is top scorer with six goals.

Neil, who took Norwich City to the Premier League in 2015, is pleased with how it's gone so far.

"We hunt in packs, that is what we do extremely well," he said this week.

"It is not hopeless running, it is not running for running’s sake.

"It is making sure we sense blood, sense when there is a bit of fragility in the other team to try and win the ball back."

Preston run, run and then run some more. Neil revealed that in one game this season his team ran five kilometres more than their opponents.

Referee Stephen Martin, who took charge of Wolves' 3-3 draw with Bristol City last month and made some questionable decisions, might have a busy afternoon tomorrow as Preston have committed more fouls and earned more bookings than any other team.

But those statistics detract from what is an impressive football side that could be top of the league by now, midfielder Ben Pearson believes.

"If we had won a few of those games we should have won and not drawn then we could be sitting at the top of the table now," he said.

"I think pressing wise we are probably the best in the league so against teams who like to pass it around we have an edge."

Pearson's confidence is echoed around the squad.

Barkhuizen added: "The pressure is all going to be on (Wolves), you can't spend £40million in this league and not go up.

"We know where we are budget wise and the players that we bring in but you also know what you are going to get."

Midfielder Alan Browne thinks Preston's achievements this season are already being overlooked.

"People still see Preston as a club who have just come up and will probably do well to stay up," he said.

"But we showed last season when we threatened to get into the play-offs that there was a bit more about us.

"It is a obviously a matter of opinion if you want to look at us as contenders.

"The gaffer will know what he wants from us and he will drill that into us this week.

"Wolves are obviously a very good footballing side and we will have to deal with that."

Neil has serious doubts over new Republic of Ireland international Maguire's fitness after he went off during last week's 2-2 draw at Fulham with a hamstring strain.

Barkhuizen and fit-again Pearson also came off but should be fine to feature.