Everton loanee Harrison Armstrong helped Preston North End claim another win, but Thierry Small stole the spotlight.
The Championship season is relentless, and Harrison Armstrong is certainly experiencing that right now.
Everton’s teenage star is on loan at Preston North End this season, having spent time with Derby County last term.
Armstrong has dazzled for PNE of late and started once again on Tuesday night as the Lilywhites faced Swansea City.
Preston North End v Swansea City - Sky Bet Championship
Photo by Lee Parker – CameraSport via Getty Images
Harrison Armstrong helps PNE win again but Thierry Small steals the show
PNE’s injury woes mean Armstrong barely has a chance to rest at the moment.
Armstrong was asked to go again, but he was substituted before the hour mark as Paul Heckingbottom manages his minutes carefully.
Armstrong picked up an assist for PNE’s second goal in a 2-1 win, sending a long ball forward for Milutin Osmajic to score.
The 18-year-old looked a little leggy at times, which is understandable, but he had a great view of Thierry Small’s opener.
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Former Everton talent Small smashed home an unbelievable long-range strike to put North End 1-0 up early on.
Small is just one of a handful of PNE players and staff with Everton connections, and he showed why he was highly regarded as a Toffees youngster.
Armstrong’s assist wasn’t quite as eye-catching as Small’s screamer, but the two men with Toffees ties helped PNE rack up a third straight win.
Harrison Armstrong facing a very busy period
North End’s games have been coming thick and fast of late, and Armstrong has little time to rest.
PNE travel to take on Millwall in a lunchtime kick-off on Saturday afternoon, meaning there is a brief window of recovery time for Armstrong.
Ali McCann’s injury means Armstrong is a nailed-on starter at this point, but Heckingbottom will be wary of running him into the ground.
Armstrong is very impressive from an athletic perspective, but he is still just 18 and needs to be managed carefully.
The international break arrives after this weekend’s games, and Armstrong will be in line for more games with England’s Under-19s.
PNE then come out of the international break with a Friday night game against Blackburn Rovers, so Armstrong will be a very busy man in the coming weeks.