Preston North End have started the campaign in promising fashion, having taken 13 points from their opening seven Championship matches, which has left Alex Neil's side in fifth place in the table heading into Saturday's clash against Birmingham City at St Andrew's.

The Lilywhites' strong start to the season has been largely built on the success they have enjoyed at Deepdale, with Neil's side managing to secure wins in all four of their home games in the Championship, beating Wigan Athletic, Stoke City, Sheffield Wednesday and Brentford in front of their own supporters already in the opening weeks of the campaign.

In contrast, North End are so far winless in their first three away matches of the season, picking up just a single point on their travels in a 1-1 draw against Nottingham Forest at the City Ground and losing narrowly at both Millwall and Swansea City.

That is something which Preston will have to rectify if they are to maintain their promising start to the campaign and mount a successful challenge to finish in the play-off places, and Neil will be hoping that his side can build on some of their strong performances in periods during their away matches and manage to replicate them in a full ninety minutes on their travels.

An example of the difference in performance levels that Preston have produced in certain periods during their opening three away games, was the 3-2 defeat they suffered at high-flying Swansea with the Lilywhites dominating the first period and taking a deserved 11th minute lead, before being pegged back well against the run of play right on half time, Neil's side then ended up on the losing side as the Swans produced an improved second-half display.

Preston's main problem on the road has been taking their chances and taking advantage when they have been in control of the game, and they have been punished by their opponents in spells where they have managed to gain a foot-hold back in the contest, which will be concerning for Neil because teams are unlikely to be able to control a game away from home for the entire game without coming under some periods of pressure.

Saturday's trip to Birmingham could well be the ideal game for Preston to rectify this issue, with the Blues under Pep Clotet setting up to play absorb pressure and attempt to hit opponents on the counter-attack, which should see the Lilywhites be able to control large periods of the game as Neil normally sets his side up to do, the key will be whether they can show the same level of ruthless finishing they have done in their home games so far this term.

Birmingham are so far unbeaten at home this season, drawing against Bristol City and beating Barnsley and Stoke City, but there have been instances in those wins where the opposing sides have been given encouragement by the Blues sitting deep and looking to soak up spells of pressure, which if Preston can capitalise on they could be well placed to secure their first three points away from home this season.