Phil Parkinson may not have much choice when Wrexham travel to Blackburn on Saturday.

Last weekend’s 4-1 win over Preston North End, the 100th home victory of his reign, eased the pressure after a week in which Steven Gerrard was linked with his job.

Wrexham are now 14th, three points off the play-offs, and with Josh Windass and Nathan Broadhead set to miss the next few games, the system behind that win looks like it’s here to stay for now.

Phil Parkinson started two strikers for the first time since League One

For the first time since Wrexham returned to the Championship, Parkinson started two traditional strikers up front together in Kieffer Moore and Sam Smith. Of course, that was the system that helped win promotion from not only League One, but from League Two and the National League too.

The Reds set up as a 3-4-1-2 with Callum O’Hare operating as a number 10 behind the front two. And it worked. Wrexham had 18 shots to Preston’s 11, six on target to one, and won the expected goals (xG) battle 1.67 to 0.87. They were the better team and deserved the three points, even if the scoreline flattered them somewhat.

Smith got his first goal of the season, and arguably outshone Moore. O’Hare may have been the biggest winner, though. With both centre-backs pinned by the strikers, the £7m summer signing had space to drift into and kept slipping passes in behind. He’s still waiting for his first goal, but he looked like Wrexham’s most dangerous player.

Three of the four goals came from balls into the box. Joe Worrall headed in Danny Imray’s cross, Smith headed in Ben Whiteman’s corner and Moore side-footed home Callum Doyle’s cross. With two strikers in there, Wrexham simply had more targets to aim for.

Phil Parkinson should be careful about sticking with two up top

Many fans were happy to see the Wrexham boss revert to the two-striker system. The Reds rank sixth in the Championship for non-penalty xG conceded but only 17th for chances created, so a more attacking setup makes sense on paper.

But Preston have made their worst start to a season in more than a century, and you can’t expect to score four from 1.67 xG every week. Last Tuesday, West Brom kept the ball and tired Wrexham out before scoring twice late, and better sides will try the same.

Two strikers also narrows the midfield, leaving more space out wide, and it only works if both press properly. If one is late or tired, opponents can get runners onto the back line quickly, which is how West Brom’s winner came.

Then there’s Moore. At the rate he’s scoring, he’s actually on course for more than 20 goals this season. But we know about his injury history, and with Smith now starting, there’s no senior striker on the bench to share the load. With Windass and Broadhead both out, Wrexham can’t afford to lose him too.

Most importantly, Smith isn’t Windass, who is one of the best players in the division when fit. Neither he nor Broadhead are expected back for the next few games, but when they are, they should really go straight back into the side.

Parkinson is confident his side will climb the table, and with Blackburn and Sheffield United away before Middlesbrough and Wolves visit the Racecourse, Moore and Smith will likely get the chance to help him do it. But for now, two up top looks more like a short-term fix to an injury crisis than a new blueprint for the season.