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Derby County boss Paul Warne believes that Preston North End are better than their current league position suggests and says Ryan Lowe, who he met earlier this week, put together a good squad.
Warne’s men drew their last game at home against Plymouth Argyle before the international break and are set to take on Preston this weekend.
Preston, who are winless in the last five league games, are sitting above the relegation zone and will welcome Derby to Deepdale on Saturday.
Warne thinks that Preston are a well-managed team and their previous boss Lowe, who he saw this week, assembled a good squad in the summer.
He stressed that they are one of the teams in the league who are better than their current league position suggests and warned his team to be aware of the work ethic of Paul Heckingbottom’s side.
“It is another team that are better than where they are at, but you could say that about virtually every Championship team apart from probably the top two”, Warne told Rams TV.
“So in that respect, they are a really well managed team, coached team.
“I know both; I know the previous manager really well.
“I was with Lowe yesterday; he has put together a really good squad that are always around the playoffs.
“They haven’t had a great start potentially, but they have been in all the games and obviously, Hecky, I have played against Hecky’s team a lot and he is a good friend of all of us, so I know how hard they work and it would not surprise you if after the weekend they went and won three or four on the spin.”
The two sides last clashed in the Championship in 2022 at Pride Park, with Derby edging the game 1-0.
