Preston North End manager makes admission about his side's form ahead of Stoke City game

North End came back from the international break in fine form, winning three of their last four, then beating Blackburn Rovers handsomely at Ewood Park.

It shot the Lilywhites into the play-off places but since then they are yet to pick up a point, despite playing then bottom of the league Huddersfield Town and an out of form Queens Park Rangers.

They were completely outplayed by West Bromwich Albion on Thursday and Lowe admitted he did not see the run of form coming, even if they began this batch of games with half a dozen players out.

PNE must first nivagte Monday’s game against Stoke before they are able address their issues.

Lowe was asked if he saw the form coming, and he said: “No, not really. I thought we might have had a bit of a dip in terms of the lads that played the games on the bounce with the energy levels and the Christmas period because games come thick and fast.

"I think once we get the Stoke game out of the way we'll have a real debrief, we know what we need but we'll look at what can help us.

"Then we'll have the FA Cup after that and it'll give us a good guide of what we're trying to do in January to one, bring players in and two, be better than what we've been.

"That's not saying we won't be against Stoke but you have to go back to the drawing board, look at what's been good and bad and then try and put it all together.”