PRESTON are in trouble with the FA after their recent battle with Nottingham Forest which resulted in Graham Alexander and Colin Murdoch getting their marching orders. There was a 19-player brawl and Preston lost the match 3-1.

Both players have now been given three-match bans from Saturday because of their sendings-off. Earlier in the season North End were involved in a similar incident in the game against Sheffield United.

After the Forest game Moyes approached the referee's assessor to ask what he thought of the official's performance. The approach didn't endear Moyes to the FA.

Meanwhile, the club's continued search for a suitable striker went global again this week as another two trialists were put through their paces at Deepdale.

Ecuador international Eduardo Hurtado -- nicknamed 'El Tanque' -- was among the latest frontmen to come under Moyes' spotlight in a reserves home match against Birmingham on Monday afternoon

Yet the 30-year-old international, who is currently under contract for first division side Liga Universitaria do Quito, failed to make an impression against City and was sidelined after 65 minutes in favour of another trialist -- an unnamed French teenager.

Preston North End's second-string side went down 1-0 after a neatly-timed strike from City's England U-21 frontman Andy Johnson.

And to add insult to real injury, Preston's midfielder Brian Barry-Murphy had to be stretchered off after just 30 minutes following a crushing tackle from Birmingham's Martin O'Connor.