Alan Browne says Preston North End must stop the rot at Luton Town this weekend
and live on Freeview channel 276
PNE have won just one of their last five games but have held on to sixth place.
With nine matches left a return to form is imperative and midfielder Browne hopes that starts at Kenilworth Road on Saturday.
Advertisement
Hide AdAdvertisement
Hide AdLuton need the points at the other end of the table as they battle against relegation and their form has picked up of late.
The Hatters have lost only one of their last six games and beat promotion-chasing Brentford last month.
Browne said: “It’s not going to be an easy game, any fixture in this division is tough.
“People from the outside will be expecting us to win, that is the expectation we put on ourselves but we have to earn that right.
Advertisement
Hide AdAdvertisement
Hide Ad“Hopefully we can put these bad results behind us, get together and put a good run together.”
At Luton, Browne is again likely to fill the holding midfield role in Ben Pearson’s continued absence.
Pearson has been out with a hamstring injury for the last two games and is only expected to return to action in early April.
Said Browne: “I don’t mind playing there but we haven’t been winning so I haven’t enjoyed it as much as I would have hoped.
Advertisement
Hide AdAdvertisement
Hide Ad“I don’t mind changing position but I just want to win every game I play.
“If you are not winning it is obviously sour and defeat is hard to take.
“I’ll play anywhere I’m asked to on the pitch.
“Wherever I play, we just need to get back to winning ways.
“We’ve had bad runs before, they do happen and it’s about responding in the right manner.
“In this bad run we have not been blown away by anyone.
“Before QPR we had played two of the top three teams in the division away.
Advertisement
Hide AdAdvertisement
Hide Ad“We probably should have got something at Fulham and were disappointed not to.
“Of late we have not been taking our chances in games and that has cost us.
“You tend to get punished when you don’t take advantage of making good starts.”
Meanwhile, Browne is facing playing a game behind closed doors if he is named in the Republic of Ireland squad for the Euro 2020 play-off against Slovakia later this month.
Advertisement
Hide AdAdvertisement
Hide AdThe clash in Bratislava on March 26 has been ordered to be played in an empty stadium by the Slovakian government due to the coronavirus outbreak.
Browne has established himself in the Ireland squad this season, as has his PNE team-mate Sean Maguire.