Preston North End were thrashed 4-0 by Middlesbrough on Tuesday night.
Here are our five talking points from the Riverside.
1. Defensive struggles continue
Ryan Lowe said he isn't too bothered about PNE's run of 13 games without a clean sheet, but it doesn't half make the task of winning games harder. North End lacked potency in attack during last season, but they are now need to rediscover a solid base. Preston have let in 24 goals in their last 10 games and Freddie Woodman's confidence looks to have taken a knock. The number one did not command his box for Boro's second goal on Tuesday and the fourth did not look great either. The defensive unit needs to get back to basics and setting a platform to help Preston win games. | CameraSport - Lee Parker
2. Faltering form
North End started the season exceptionally well and it's a good job they did so. In the last 10 matches, PNE's form is 21st in the table - ahead of Rotherham, QPR and Sheffield Wednesday. It's two wins in 11 for Preston, who have reverted to the mean after outperforming plenty of attacking metrics in the early part of the campaign. There have, it should be noted, been a few cruel blows along the way - North End were desperately close to beating Southampton and Cardiff but ultimately took one point from those two encounters. PNE had points in the bank and still sit in the top half of the league, but it's clear that they need to improve. | CameraSport - Lee Parker
3. Available at last
One minor positive from a truly torrid trip to Teesside: Calvin Ramsay is finally fit and available to have a say on North End's season. He was an important piece of business in the summer, but it's been a long old wait for the Liverpool loan man to be ready. He came on in dreadful circumstances on Tuesday, with the game as good as gone, but Ramsay showed a degree of composure in possession and looked relatively sharp. If he can have a strong second half to the campaign, it will only be positive for PNE. | CameraSport - Lee Parker
4. Key men dearly missed
If you had to pick PNE's three best players this season, then Alan Browne, Duane Holmes and Brad Potts would be a very fair shout. The latter, who has been flogged once again this season, was the only one of those involved on Tuesday night. He turned in a rare, poor performance and Preston's midfield was at sixes and sevens from start to finish - in the absence of the skipper and Holmes. There was no control in there whatsoever; Boro's players won the battle comprehensively. In the second half, Lowe even moved Potts into an attacking midfield role. With the number 44 below par and Browne and Holmes sat on the bench, the value of those three players was made clear. | CameraSport - Lee Parker