Alexander not focused on gap at the bottom

Graham Alexander insists he is not concerned with the gap at the bottom of the Championship or how the other struggling sides get on. Tuesday's defeat by Sheffield United was an 11th in 14 matches and means Alexander's Preston team are nine points from the safety line with promotion-chasing Southampton coming to Deepdale on Saturday (15:00 GMT). "Looking at the table, whether the gap is three or eight points, the end result of that diagnosis is we have to win football matches," Alexander told BBC Radio Lancashire. "The league table doesn't affect us, if we were 17th, 10th or third we'd be trying to win on Saturday. "If you're at the top and thinking 'we're the bees knees' and drop your level you're not going to focus on the game, if you're bottom and thinking 'we're rubbish' you're not going to focus on the game." Alexander insists he does not look at results from other games, adding: "It's out of my control. I just focus on the things I can impact, my players, our training, our games. "My mindset is a balanced mindset, I don't go drama-perfection-utter devastation, I don't let that happen to me, it's madness. "It's how I've lived my life for the last 25 years, I think my professional life has gone reasonably well so I'm not going to change." Alexander said his analysis of Preston's games in 2026 showed him they had changed formation 15 times in the 28 games before he arrived. "Trying to have a consistent formation, trying to be as consistent as possible for the players and with the players will give them the best option of producing their best performances. A structure is important for players," he said. With a two-week break for international matches following Saturday's game, Alexander said it might prove to be a useful reset. "We can't see the international break as a break," he said. "We have to work. We had a great meeting with eight or nine senior players on Monday where they suggested coming in on our days off and doing extra work to try and turn things around. "It's brilliant for me, as a manager." Leo Leroy is suspended after his booking against Sheffield United while Johnny Kenny is awaiting the results of a scan on a hamstring injury which forced him off in the same game and could be sidelined for "a few weeks". Free agent Greg Docherty is potentially in contention to feature on Saturday, if the former Charlton skipper can agree a deal. "He played Monday night for under-21s and did really well," Alexander said. "I think we're going to see if we can progress that in the next couple of days. "He's been a captain and a promotion-winner, played in the Championship - at this stage of the season there are not many of that type around." Latest Preston North End news, analysis and fan views