Defender opens up on hard time at Preston North End and learning from Jordan Storey after Sheffield Wednesday loan

Diaby has started in back to back games having previously started way back in October, against Stoke City in a 2-0 defeat.

He came back into the side to start against the Potters again, this time PNE won 1-0 and he scored a thumping volley in his second game back in the starting XI as his side won 3-1 in the FA Cup third round against Huddersfield Town.

North End’s defensive record this season has been amongst the best in the division and that fact has been important for Diaby to keep his head up when chances have come at a premium.

He said: "At the beginning it's hard because you want to play. It is not only me, it is the same for every footballer. Everyone wants to play and does their best to play and that's what I do. You see game after game and they keep playing, you need to have your mentality because I think it is more mental than physical to say 'Okay, I'm not playing because the lads are doing well, not because I'm bad,' that's the important thing.

"The lads have been playing unbelievably and kept a lot of clean sheets. In situations like that you just have to learn, wait for your moment and when the gaffer says it's your turn it's time to do a good job and keep that level high.”

Diaby has been kept out of the team this season by Jordan Storey, who has been in fine form throughout the campaign so far.

Despite the performances of Storey keeping Diaby out of the team, the Senegalese has used his form as a learning experience and has been pleased to see his teammate have success.

He said: “Jordan pushes me to be a better footballer. Why? Because if you do something wrong you know you have to have very good competitors behind you.

"When Jordan was playing really well I was very happy for him because he went on loan to Sheffield and came back and played excellent.

"I just followed his performances, I learned from him, looked at what he was doing because he was playing more games than me and then I had to try and do that, in my way. We are different footballers but we have the same passion. I just keep learning from every footballer.”