NEIL: PRESTON CAN MATCH MILLWALL

Posted on February 16, 2018 in Conor Mclaughlin

Alex Neil opines that Preston can match Millwall when they meet in South London over the weekend. Millwall have a good record at home but Neil feels the Preston squad have the mentality required to face their rivals.

The Preston North End (PNE) boss says Millwall will try to make the game intimidating for them and that their fans would be solidly behind them at the Den. Neil says it would be an intimidating place only if they allow it. He is confident that his side has the power, physicality and determination to get a result at “difficult venues such as Cardiff and Millwall.”

When PNE clashed with Millwall at Deepdale in the first half of the season, it ended in a barren draw. However, things would be different at the Den as Millwall would not ply the careful route. Neil’s men tried but could not get the better of the Lions. Neil insists that they can now do better against oppositions that sit deep.

“We are now better equipped in terms of our squad being stronger and I think the lads have a better understanding of how we want to play. We are more hardened now in terms of breaking teams down – that had been an Achilles heel for us.”

Preston would face a difficult task of getting the results against Millwall but the coach says his boys are in great shape and in a good place mentally. It would be very hard to break through the good home form of the Lions.

Former Preston defender Conor McLaughlin was in action for Millwall in the FA Cup after being on the bench for long. He started at PNE but an ankle injury affected him. He left in 2012. He refused to continue with Fleetwood so he made the switch to Millwall during the summer. He is expected to feature against his boyhood club.

Millwall leading scorer George Saville, Jed Wallace, Lee Gregory, and Steve Morison are also likely to feature in the crucial fixture.