Ben Pearson is looking forward to North End’s ‘biggest game of this season’ this weekend against Sheffield United.
PNE go into the game four points off the Play-Offs with two games to go and face fellow Play-Off chasing Sheffield United – who sit a point behind North End - at Bramall Lane this Saturday.
The Lilywhites' No.4 is enjoying the occasion and the pressure that comes with what is at stake in the last two games of this season.
Speaking to iFollow PNE, Pearson said: “It’s probably by far the biggest game of the season this Saturday. I think with the result on Saturday it’s do or die now.
“If we win it gives us as chance; and then it will go to the final game. If we lose we’re out of it. I think all the lads understand the scenario we’re in so we’ve just got to go out there and win the game.
“These are the sorts of games you want to play in as a young kid. Winning the game and giving you the opportunity of hopefully getting in the Play-Offs, then eventually having that opportunity of getting into the Premier League is what you dream of as a kid.
“To be in this situation right now is obviously good for the club and good for the players; we would have liked to have had our points secured and already be in there but for whatever reason we’ve not been able to manage that. We’ve still got two great opportunities to put that right and hopefully get in there.”
Despite what has been a brilliant first season under Alex Neil, in typical fashion, Pearson is quite ruthless in his assessment of the current situation that North End find themselves in.
“At the start of the season the manager left and a new manager came in. We finished 11th last year so I think anyone would have taken two points off the Play-Offs with two games to go.
“It’s a great achievement. It’s less of an achievement knowing we could have already been in there, that’s what makes it slightly worse.
“We’ll keep going about our business the way we have been all season and hopefully we’ll win the game.
“Everyone understands that we’ve had missed opportunities but they’re gone now, we can’t get them back. We’ve got Sheffield United away, they’ve had a dip in form in the last couple of weeks, couple of months so it’ll be a tough game – as it was at our place. With what lies on the game, with them having to win as well, it’ll be a good game.”
The midfielder is now calling on the fans to get behind the team as they make the final push to get into the Play-Off places.
“The away support this season had been brilliant like it always has been. I think the home support on Saturday was brilliant as well.
“We’ve just got to encourage all the fans to go to Sheffield and then Burton at home on the last game of the season. It does give the players a massive lift and I think we’ll need that more than ever come Saturday.”
You can watch the full interview with Ben Pearson by clicking on the video above.