Preston North End manager had a word with fitness and physio staff after Ben Whiteman and Tottenham's Troy Parrott missed out

Ben Whiteman and Troy Parrott both missed out on the game due to injury, something which did not go down well with the North End boss.

Lowe wants to see his players managed better, particularly with Parrott having played just twice since being ruled out for three months with a hamstring injury back in October.

He said: “They both had a little bit of a niggle from Thursday, Friday which I'm disappointed about because I feel Troy has been out for a while and we need to manage him a bit better. So I've had a word with the fitness department and the physio department.

"Whiteman has got some soreness about his groin so he probably could have left training on Tuesday and Thursday and we could have had him available for Saturday but that wasn't the case.

"There are a couple of things in there that we've had to speak about, me, the fitness coach and the physios, how we can prevent it and help them a little better. I don't want to be losing any players on Thursdays and Fridays, definitely not.

"Ben Whiteman will probably train Monday, Tuesday and Troy will probably train on Thursday. With Troy, he's been chomping at the bit to get back. He's got a little niggly groin injury and Whiteman is the same.”

The mood around North End is certainly at a low point after five straight home defeats in a row.

Up next is league leaders Burnley, who turned over Norwich City at Carrow Road on Saturday – the same side that beat PNE 4-0 – which presents another tough task for Lowe and his men.

He said: “It's up to me to get them bubbly again. I've said to them that we all need to stick together. The lads are disappointed with their performances and I've always said they're a good group of lads. They speak honestly in there which is pleasing for me.

"If you look at the whole of the play, I don't think we deserved to lose the game of football based on the performance but we've got to pick them up and go again. We have to. It's roll your sleeves up time, chest out and go again.”