Alan Irvine has described the remaining 14 league matches as 'massive', and the first on that list is a testing trip to Vicarage Road to face Adrian Boothroyd's Watford on Saturday afternoon.
After suffering the heartbreak of a last minute defeat against Pompey on Sunday, it's back to the bread and butter of the Championship and the challenge of reaching the magical 54 point mark which would almost ensure survival in the second tier of English football.
Looking at the league fixture list, this is undoubtedly one of the toughest out of the 46; made even more difficult by the fact the Hornets are unbeaten in their last six Championship matches. Indeed, North End were the last team to roll over Watford, winning 1-0 at Deepdale back at the start of January.
The threat they pose was highlighted last weekend, whilst North End were in FA Cup action, Watford endured a testing challenge in the Championship at the Valley where having been two goals down, they recovered to salvage a point through second half strikes from O'Toole and Shittu.
Ahead of Saturday's game, Hornets boss Boothroyd said: "It will be a tough game for us. I thought they were very valiant and unlucky in the result that they got against Portsmouth. They were fantastic and the better team for long periods.
"Alan has got them going and they have a lot to play for so they won't be feeling sorry for themselves. They've already beaten us once, and West Brom at home, so we know they can turn it on when they want to. From our point of view we have to get amongst them from the very first whistle."
Regarding the team news, North End will be without Darren Carter, who serves a one-match suspension whilst keeper Grzegorz Szamotulski is ruled out with a medial ligament injury picked up the midweek reserve match at Manchester City. Lewis Neal is back in the squad after missing the last three matches with a tight hamstring.
The Championship Table
The table makes slightly better reading for the Watford supporters, who know that a win against North End could see them potentially top the table by three clear points come 5pm on Saturday afternoon. For that to happen, Aidy Boothroyd would be reliant on Stoke slipping up at home to Ipswich Town and Bristol Rovers not taking the spoils in their visit to Layer Road.
For Preston the equation is simple, a victory and they will avoid dropping back into the relegation zone. Should they take the sting out of the Hornets then they could even leapfrog Coventry and move up a place into 20th position. This can only take place if Chris Coleman's first game in the Sky Blues dugout ends in defeat against fellow-strugglers Leicester City.
The worse case scenario for Alan Irvine is a defeat and for Colchester, Scunthorpe and Sheffield Wednesday to pick up three points against Bristol City, Southampton and Cardiff respectively, which would see Preston slump to the bottom of the Championship table.
Ones To Watch
Andy Lonergan
Throughout the duration of the season, Preston's number one has been in sensational form and barring a couple of well-publicised errors, Lonners has been more than dependable, making fantastic saves whenever and wherever required.
Regarded as one of the best shot stoppers in the league, he was cruelly denied the plaudits by David James last weekend, who could only be described as simply 'unbeatable'.
Recently, Lonners has quietly been going about his business and the arrival of Polish International Grzegorz Szamotulski will only act as extra-motivation for the local stopper to keep the goalkeepers jersey, which he has fully deserved of late.
Nathan Ellington
Following the £5m departure of Marlon King to Wigan in the transfer window, Ellington has filled the void up front for the Hornets, partnering Darius Henderson in attack over the last month or so.
It took the £3.25m purchase from West Brom over 20 Championship matches to get his first league goal for Watford but his form has taken a turn for the better of late with the striker grabbing three in his last seven outings.
The 26-year-old has found the net wherever he has been throughout his career, firstly at non-league side Walton & Hersham before moving to Bristol Rovers, Wigan Athletic and West Bromwich Albion.
He is nicknamed 'The Duke' after the legendary Jazz musician, and since 2004 has been a practicing Muslim.
Last Time Out
Charlton 2 Watford 2
Watford: Lee, Mariappa, Shittu, Bromby, Sadler, Smith, Bangura (O'Toole 46), Eustace, McAnuff, Henderson, Ellington. Subs Not Used: Poom, Doyley, Williamson, Ainsworth
Preston 0 Portsmouth 1
Preston: Lonergan, Jones, Mawene, Chilvers, Davidson, Sedgwick (Chaplow 87), McKenna, Carter, Whaley, Brown, Hawley (Mellor 70).
Subs Not Used: Szamotulski, Ormerod, Hill.
Head-To-Head
Preston pip Watford when it comes to the historical stakes winning 15 of the 34 meetings, compared to the Hornets total of nine.
North End however are unbeaten in the last five matches against their Hertfordshire opponents, even winning the last two games at Vicarage Road, scoring twice on both occasions.
These two last met only a month ago, where Neil Mellor's close range finish was enough to nick a morale-boosting 1-0 victory at Deepdale.
Last Time We Met At Vicarage Road
Watford 1 Preston 2
Coca-Cola Championship,
6th August 2005
Attendance: 12,597
Referee - Mr. Anthony Bates
The Staffordshire official has refereed 25 games this season, dishing out 63 yellow cards and two reds. Out of those fixtures, there has only been two in which he has kept his notebook firmly in his pocket.
Mr. Bates has been deployed largely in the Championship this season, although he has officiated in all three Football League Divisions, the FA Cup and the Johnstone's Paint Trophy.
Last weekend he was at Edgar Street, overseeing Hereford's 2-0 victory over Chesterfield.
It's been quite a while since he took control of a Preston match, the last being back at the end of the 2005/06 season when the Lilywhites drew 1-1 at the KC Stadium against Hull City.
Betting
Watford 4/6, Draw 9/4, Preston 9/2. Click here now to go to North End's official betting portal, pnebetting.co.uk
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