Manager Simon Grayson feels there's nothing to fear as league action gets back underway this weekend.
North End host Derby at Deepdale on Saturday, and though the gaffer expects a tough test against the promotion hopefuls, he praised his players' work ethic so far this season, and expects to see positive results over the coming weeks if that hard work and commitment continues, regardless of who the opposition is.
"We've said to the players since pre-season that we are going to embrace the Championship no matter who we are playing against, we can give it our best shot and work hard and be organised and do as well as we can do, then if you lose matches you can't do anymore than that.
"And that's what they've done so far. In all the games that we've had so far, we've got some results but the games where the results have gone against us, we've certainly had the opportunities to have won those games.
"We've been very unfortunate not to have beaten Ipswich and Hull, or at least got a draw out of both of those games. We performed, we made the opposition change their system of play, we created chances, and we were hard to beat.
"They should be very pleased with how they've done so far and it's something that we will keep reiterating to the players week in and week out. If they can give it their all every game, every training session, then you can ask no more from them as a manager."
To hear more from the PNE boss about this weekend's game and more, head to PNE PlayerHD by clicking on the video below.