Ryan Ledson is hopeful the Preston North End fans making the journey to Birmingham on Saturday can help the team extend their unbeaten run.
North End will be backed by over 1,000 supporters at St Andrew’s, with tickets still available in the away end, and the midfielder feels they have had a big impact since their return to grounds this season.
Ryan told iFollow PNE: “I think obviously the fans being in helps you a lot, especially away from home. I think away from home is better because it gives you that extra 20 per cent of the away fans and then their home fans giving you a bit, it really pushes you on.
“We always like [going to] Birmingham; there’s always a big crowd following. I think it’s good for us that a couple of their stands are closed and obviously we’ll have a full away end.
“We expect it to be a tough game, hopefully we can keep the unbeaten run going in the league and hopefully we can get three points.”
Birmingham themselves have had a couple of disappointing results in recent outings, being beaten by Fulham and Peterborough United in their last two games.
But with two experienced men up top, Ryan is aware he and his team-mates are in for a tough afternoon.
The 24-year-old said: “Yeah it will [be a tough game]. I think they got beat 3-0 by Peterborough at the weekend when they played two up front, [Lukas] Jutkiewicz and [Troy] Deeney.
“Obviously that’s going to be a tough two to face so hopefully the three at the back for us can cope with them.”
Ryan will be hoping to return to the side after being left out of the squad on Tuesday evening for the Carabao Cup victory against Cheltenham Town.
That win earned PNE an exciting tie at home to a club close - both in location and to the heart - of Ledson.
“Really excited,” he said about his reaction when he found out Liverpool would be coming to Deepdale. “I was in mine with a few of my mates who are big Liverpool fans, obviously myself as well, so I’m made up with the draw and hopefully we can get a full house at Deepdale and hopefully they play a few of their big lads.
“Obviously it’s up to Frank to pick the team but I’ll be having a word in his ear saying ‘come on Frank, let me play in this one!’”
Ryan talks about much more in his full interview with iFollow PNE, available to watch at the top of this page.