Preston defender Liam Chilvers is relishing the new-found competition for places at Deepdale as the club aims to avoid relegation.Lilywhites boss Alan Irvine shored up his defence during the January transfer window by bringing in Michael Hart from Aberdeen and Neal Trotman from Oldham.

The arrival of reinforcements has seen Preston improve their form in recent weeks and the defence kept another clean sheet in the 1-0 win over Coventry on Saturday.

"The new competition for places helps because it keeps everyone on their toes," Chilvers told the club's official website.

"It's not just at centre back - there's also new competition for places at right back and there's a couple of players going for every place.

"It means that people don't want to let their place slip, and the form that we've shown at the back of late is something that's been coming gradually over recent weeks."

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