Performance wasn't good enough admits Alex Neil as Preston North End are beaten by Millwall at Deepdale

The Lilywhites were beaten 2-0, that a fourth home loss in the Championship without registering on the scoresheet.

Neil did reveal that six players had been under the weather with a stomach bug, Patrick Bauer forced off at half-time after being sick.

All had been tested for Covid-19 as a precaution, the results coming back negative.

"We didn't play well enough," said Neil.

"To win any game you are going to need seven or eight players to play well as they have done over the last couple of matches.

"Tonight I thought over the piece we didn't have near enough players playing well.

"For Millwall's first goal our defensive set-up started fine, we had four against their two behind the ball.

"We made a really rash decision gambling the wrong side, we let the boy Mason Bennett roll us and then the two centre-backs stepped out.

"We should have kept narrow, kept in front of them and seen that phase of play out.

"In that move we made two bad decisions.

"This was always going to be a game where the first goal was going to win it."

Regarding the illness which had hit some of the squad, Neil was not looking for excuses but felt it had a bearing.

Neil said: "It is not an excuse but we had six lads yesterday who weren't feeling the best with upset tummies.

"I told them if they felt okay, let me know but we didn't need any heroes - if you are not up for it, shout up, we can change it.

"Each and every one of them came back and said they could play.

"Patrick at half-time was what I could only describe as violently sick.

"We had to take him off and it caused us a problem because it cost us a substitute at the top end of the pitch as the game wore on."

North End tested the players for Covid to rule out the stomach upsets being a symptom.

"The difficulty at the moment is that every snuffle, cough or a sore tummy, automatically everyone is concerned about Covid because it is rife," said Neil.

"We got the tests back and they were negative. None of the lads were being risked in that sense.

"Big Emil Riis who has been unbelievable for the last two games, was one of the lads who didn't feel well. You could see he didn't have the same energy."