Preston North End winger Billy Bodin scored his first goal for the Lilywhites away at Nottingham Forest and he is looking for a repeat performance at the weekend.
The Welsh international scored the opener in a 3-0 win, in the January he completed his move from Bristol Rovers, and he is looking to put in a similar display now back fit from his year on the sidelines.
“That was my first goal for Preston North End and I also won a penalty that night, so I have great memories of playing there and hopefully if I am in the team on Saturday I can try and do the same,” he told iFollow PNE.
“That’s what I am in the team for, to create and score goals, and another game like that would be perfect!
"They are a good team. They have some great players and this week they beat Fulham and they are a good team as well.
“We are going to have to work hard and it will be a good game, but at the start of the season, anyone can beat anyone, but they are doing well and we will have to keep our eye out.
“All the lads are raring to go and hopefully we can get another good performance under our belts and bring the points home.”
The game will be the first after the Carabao Cup draw pitted the Lilywhites against current treble holders, Manchester City, and the No.39 feels that game can be a fillip over the coming weeks.
“It is a massive draw,” he continued. “I am sure it will be a packed house at Deepdale and it will be a good test for us. They are the best team in the world at the moment, so to come up against them and test yourself against the best, is what you always want. I am sure it will be an interesting game and a good game as well.
“All the lads will definitely want to be in that starting XI that night and it can spur the lads on and get you a little run.
“The lads will be working that extra bit to be picked that night, but we have changed the team in the two previous rounds, so everyone will be raring to go and wanting to be picked.
“Against Bristol City a couple of years ago they had a dodgy result in the first leg and there’s no reason why we can’t do that either.”
Having recover from the ACL injury that kept him out for the whole of the 2018/19 season, the 27-year-old feels that he has now put that spell behind him and is only looking forwards.
“The body feels good. The knee feels good. Having such a long time out, you get some aches and pains, but that is normal.
“I have been through it before and I am used to it. You have to get on with it and once you are out training, everything else goes away and you feel fine again.
“The main things is managing the injury, so I am always in gym, doing my prehab, keeping the knee warm for when we do go out training or playing. I am feeling good and I can always get fitter.
“Even though I did a lot over the summer, that match fitness is different to doing all the running and the different things you do when you are off. The more games I play, the fitter and stronger I will be.
“You don’t really see many players who come back from this injury, get chucked back in and are on fire straight away, but you have to keep working hard and when you do get the time on the pitch, you have to make it count.
“I have scored a goal now – even though it wasn’t the best of goals – and hopefully I can keep creating chances for my team-mates and if I am playing, try and get a goal or creating one.”
The trip to Forest looks like having a big PNE following with the side and the former Bristol Rovers man is grateful of the backing and the role the fans play in pushing the team.
“A close to sell-out away crowd this weekend would be massive for us. The fans have been great this season, especially when you go away, where they are always there in their numbers.
“Fair play to them for travelling – the Millwall game there were a fair few and that’s what you want as player, seeing the fans shouting the singing.
“As a player it does make you try that little bit harder, especially with how far they have had to travel and in the build-up to that Manchester City game, it will hopefully get more interest in the team,” he added.