Preston North End are still one of the best teams in the league according to Hull City boss Grant McCann

Hull City boss Grant McCann still believes that Preston North End are one of the best teams in the league, despite the 4-0 beating his side gave PNE.
Grant McCann takes his seat in the dugout as his side beat Preston 4-0.Grant McCann takes his seat in the dugout as his side beat Preston 4-0.
Grant McCann takes his seat in the dugout as his side beat Preston 4-0.

Hull had the vast majority of the game at the KCOM last night and two goals from Jarrod Bowen, and one each for Josh Magennis and Kamil Grosicki did the damage.

It could have been more if not for some good saves from Declan Rudd, but Sean Maguire and Josh Harrop did hit a post each, in each half.

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Despite the heavily one-sided result, McCann still rates PNE extremely highly off the back of watching the Lilywhites several times this campaign.

He said: "Going into the end of the first half we had a chance late on to make it 2-0.

"I was actually a bit worried because I know Alex really well and I felt he’d get into his group a bit at half time and there’d be a reaction from Preston.

"We warned the group about that but to score straight after half time helped us to go on and win the game.

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"I still believe they are one of the best teams in the league having watched them on numerous occasions this year.

"I love what they do there, the way they recruit and the hunger and desire about their team.

''A manager I would say is quite similar to myself, he’s quite demanding on what he does, but in a good way, not in a bad way.

"So it’s a good result for us.

"It was probably our most complete performance of the season I’d say.

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"We’ve had games where we’ve had seven or eight of us performing as a team, tonight we had one to 11."

Jarrod Bowen once again took the limelight for the Tigers and there is expected to be heavy interest for the Hull forward in January.

Bowen was a part of the Hull boss' tactics in order to stop Preston playing, planting his star man on Paul Gallagher and Ben Pearson to try give the two midfielders difficulty.

McCann admits he took a chance in doing that and was highly complimentary of the PNE pair.

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"Having watched Preston at Derby on Saturday we felt if we could get onto the ball and get Jarrod (Bowen) in and around Pearson and Gallagher, he might cause them some problems," he explained.

"Even though those two are excellent footballers.

"It was a bit of a gamble because Jarrod isn’t great defensively but it paid off.

"They way he’s playing at the minute, we’re just over the moon.

"I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, he’s the best at what he does in this league, in that position.

"We’re delighted to have him."