'We lack quality' - Leeds United's next opponent makes Boxing Day admission as sell-out expected

The 45-year-old has seen his team lose heavily in recent weeks and comes into Tuesday's fixture on the back of two straight defeats. Despite an impressive start to the campaign, Preston have won just once in their last seven Championship outings, losing five in the process.

Lowe's outfit were beaten 2-1 by Swansea City in their most recent fixture and humbled 5-1 by Watford on home turf earlier this month. That said, Preston anticipate a sell-out crowd for their Boxing Day meeting with Leeds, who got back to winning ways with a resounding 4-0 victory against promotion rivals Ipswich Town over the weekend.

"It is a massive test, you are right," Lowe told the Lancashire Evening Post ahead of Leeds' visit. "I found out off Peter [Ridsdale] that it's more or less sold out, which is a great effort from our fans over the Christmas period. The lads give us everything. We lack quality in certain areas and we know that.

"The Leeds game, I don't know, we'll have to wait and see won't we? It could be a good thing or it could be a bad thing, but what we've got to make sure we do is lift ourselves, lift the players and put a game plan together," the manager said.

Preston currently sit 13th in the Championship table and have conceded 40 goals this term. Only Rotherham United - who sit bottom of the division - have allowed more.

"As long as my players show me attitude and application, that's enough for me," Lowe added. "We don't like disappointment and at the moment we've had it at the weekend and now today, going into the Christmas period - which is not nice.

"I am going to have to pick myself, the staff and the players up and we'll have to go again. The lads give me everything in every game, I cannot complain on that. Decision making and lack of quality, yeah, that's what it is. But it's not for the lack of trying; they work their socks off."