Heckingbottom wants Preston to maintain consistencypublished at 17:16 GMT 19 November
17:16 GMT 19 November
Media caption,
'It's easier to lose than it is to develop. We've got to be really consistent' - Heckingbottom
Preston North End boss Paul Heckingbottom has called for continued consistency from his players ahead of Friday's game against local rivals Blackburn Rovers.
He said his side should approach the game against Rovers the same as any other fixture.
"We should be putting no more effort into this than we were the last Friday night against Sheffield United or the last away game against Millwall," he told BBC Radio Lancashire.
"I think we've been doing that because that's why I've been pleased with our consistency if you like in terms of performance level."
Preston are fourth in the Championship after 15 games.
"I would be disappointed if we didn't come and give our best," Heckingbottom added.
"We can't guarantee the result off the back of it but you can guarantee the effort.
"It's our job to try and put the players on the pitch with the belief that we can go out there and carry out a performance that gives us the points."
A bumper crowd is expected at Deepdale.
"It's virtually a sell out," Heckingbottom said.
"We've just got 100 single tickets left, that's it, dotted around the stadium which is really pleasing for me because that's a reflection of how well the players have been doing or probably more importantly how engaged our fanbase is with this team and how much they enjoy watching them so that really brought a smile to my face.
"We try and attack the games and that's us doing our part and the fans have responded with more at home.
"The away following has gone up a notch as well so I think that's all-in-all really positive."
Who is flying? And what more can the manager give?published at 08:53 GMT 19 November
08:53 GMT 19 November
Natalie Bromley Fan writer
Which player at your club is flying?: Josh Cullen is proving to be quite some player this time around. He was dropped very early on in Vincent Kompany's Premier League campaign, before making a return later on in the season, but this year he is the core that the rest of the midfield is built around. It is his passing that's most impressive - with his perfectly weighted through balls for Jaidon Anthony and Quilindschy Hartman offering us creativity.
Which player is floundering? Anthony probably needs a spell out of the side, but this also feels harsh to put him in this list. He is perhaps a victim of his own success; after getting off to a strong start he's looking tired and things aren't quite falling for him. Overall though, he has performed better at the higher level than people expected.
Tactically I think we... desperately need to get rid of the back five. It is not stopping the goals from going in, and is killing any hope of any creativity when we do manage to counter.
I want my manager to give me more... willingness to win a game, because you cannot play for a point in this league. Scott Parker has improved drastically with this, but we can afford to be a little less scared.
Our fans seem obsessed with... signing a number nine in January, but they should be thinking about how well Zian Flemming has taken to life in the Premier League.
My expectations for the season... were that relegation was a certainty, but there is now a glimmer of hope that 17th is attainable.
Season rating so far: 7/10. The Clarets are here to compete this time around. With charm and elegance too.
One sentence on how you're feeling right now: "THE CLARETS ARE STAYING UP… AGAIN!"
Burnley's best Premier League XIpublished at 12:32 GMT 18 November
12:32 GMT 18 November
Over the past week, we have been asking you to send in the best Premier League XI your club could have put together.
We know football existed before 1992 but as a Leeds United fan asked our experts on the club to name theirs - using the Ask Me Anything form on the Whites - we stuck with their parameters.
Here's BBC Sport's Burnley fan writer Natalie's effort.
Your Burnley Premier League XIpublished at 16:41 GMT 17 November
16:41 GMT 17 November
We have, roughly, run the numbers and here is the XI your submissions have produced.
This was a tricky one. The most popular formation was Sean Dyche's classic 4-4-2; however, three midfielders and three forwards separated themselves from the rest of the suggestions.
Rather than crowbar Ashley Barnes into midfield, we have opted to switch the shape and give the Burnley legend the opportunity to join Sam Vokes and Chris Wood up front.
As for the defence? Kyle Walker's fine start to life saw him feature in most teams, which may require Kieran Trippier to switch to left-back.
We reckon this Burnley XI would make quite a real impact in the Premier League.
'Know how to use the noise and scrutiny'published at 12:56 GMT 17 November
12:56 GMT 17 November
Nicola Pearson BBC Sport journalist
Image source, Getty Images
The statistics might say playing at home is an advantage - but what happens when it is not?
So far this season, 53% of Premier League matches have been won by the home team - the highest ever rate in a single campaign.
On the flip side, just 26% have been won by the away team - the lowest rate since 2010-11.
However, this has not been the case for all teams.
For some, being on the road has been more favourable. Tottenham are perhaps the most contrasting example having the joint-most points away from home with 13, but the second-worst in front of their own fans with just five points.
In the second part of her chat with BBC Sport, performance psychologist Marie Cartwright explained: "With crowds when playing away from home, there is a reduced scrutiny as a whole for away teams in that those crowds expect the home team to be the ones in charge. The players feel less judged. The pressure is on the other side.
"Another reason could come down to something in psychology I like to call simplification of the task. The team has a better collective identity when they are away.
"The human brain still goes back to the cavemen days. We have to, as a collective, fight for something. We have to protect our name. It goes back to that hunter-gatherer-against-danger mentality.
"When players are in front of a home crowd, there can be a bit of playing up to the individuality.
"I really do believe that collective identity has a strong enough influence because it amplifies the purpose and the belonging - let's belong together, let's be stronger together."
The focus might be on the players' performances being impacted by being home or away, but what about the managers?
Wolves, West Ham and Nottingham Forest make up three of the bottom four for their home records so far this term, and all have changed their manager in recent weeks.
"100% managers and coaches can be affected, and sometimes even more so because there is so much riding on that one person," Cartwright said.
"The decision-making is the main thing. The crowd is chanting - 'take this player off, do this' - and it can lead to rushed decisions, particularly when the noise becomes relentless.
"Then there is the emotional regulation and touchline behaviour. A manager is pacing up and down, mirroring the stress state, and players see that. It can lead to mimicking and players feeling that stress too."
The impact on teams psychologically playing home or away is apparent, so how can they make the most from these different conditions?
"Our brains are wired to think negatively - it's a protection mechanism," Cartwright said.
"So when it comes to performing home and away, those players and managers who deal with it best are those who know how to use the noise and scrutiny and move on quickly from it - an ability to have a reset routine and regulate their emotions in these pressurised situations."
Image source, Getty Images
