PNE boss comfortable playing Darnell Fisher at left-back
Fisher’s switch to the left allowed Tom Clarke to slot in at right-back.
In doing so, he became the sixth player to play at left-back for North End this season.
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Hide AdNeil revealed that he had seen Fisher play on the left for previous club Rotherham and was comfortable to use him there.
“Darnell has played on the left on numerous occasions,” Neil told the Post.
“He did that for Rotherham and was playing as a left-back when he caught my eye.
“I was Norwich manager and he played left-back against Jacob Murphy who was playing wide right.
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Hide Ad“He had a great game that day and so playing him on the left again wasn’t a problem.”
Greg Cunningham started the campaign as North End’s left-back.
When injury ruled him out, Josh Earl stepped-in to make his senior debut.
The teenager had a 12-game run before damaging his knee against Aston Villa last month.
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Hide AdNext it was the turn of Kevin O’Connor to fill the void, the Irishman starting the games against Ipswich Town and Bolton.
Calum Woods was preferred over O’Connor for the Bristol City and Norwich matches.
When a hamstring strain ruled him out, Ben Davies was moved to left-back against Queens Park Rangers.
A half-time resuffle in that game saw Davies revert back to centre-half with O’Connor coming off the bench.
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Hide AdIn the closing stages of the Burton game, O’Connor got another run at left-back with Fisher moving across to play at right-back when Clarke went off because of a calf niggle.
The next selection call for Neil comes on Saturday when Preston face Sheffield United at Deepdale.
They will be looking to close a five-point deficit on the sixth-place Blades.