Pointless Week: Defensive Mistakes Cost Preston in Back-to-Back Losses to Millwall and Birmingham
Graham Alexander’s Deepdale homecoming turned into a reality check as back-to-back defeats against Millwall and Birmingham City exposed PNE’s growing defensive struggles.
Preston Depressing as Errors Cost Them Valuable Championship Ground
An emotionally charged week at Deepdale has quickly turned into a sobering reality check for Preston North End.
Preston North End are delighted to announce the appointment of Graham Alexander as the Club’s First Team Manager. ✍️
pnefc https://t.co/DmwWjev4FL— Preston North End FC (@pnefc) September 28, 2026
Fourteen years after hanging up his boots as a club legend, Graham Alexander made a triumphant return to Lancashire as manager following his arrival from League One leaders Bradford City. The Deepdale faithful welcomed 'Grezza' and long-time assistant Chris Lucketti back with a hair-raising reception on Saturday, full of goodwill and hope for a bright new era. However, back-to-back defeats against Millwall and Birmingham City have laid bare the immense scale of the rebuilding task now ahead.
Part I: Deepdale Heartbreak on Debut (Preston North End 0-1 Millwall)
Full time at Deepdale.
pnefc https://t.co/pwj7OH5jdI— Preston North End FC (@pnefc) October 10, 2026
Saturday was meant to be a fairytale homecoming. Deepdale was rocking for Alexander's first game in charge, fittingly falling on his fifty-fifth birthday as 17,602 supporters packed the stands to welcome back their former hero.
North End started with real energy and purpose. Jusef Erabi saw a golden first-half chance saved by Filip Marschall, while Harry Clarke and Alfie Devine both went close with stinging efforts. Midfielder Léo Leroy pulled the strings in midfield, showcasing the class that has made him an instant fan favorite.
Yet, for all their work ethic and slick passages of play, North End lacked the lethal edge needed to capitalize. With just 11 minutes remaining, Millwall’s Camiel Neghli struck a decisive blow, sweeping home from the edge of the box to smash PNE's resistance and hand the visitors a 1-0 victory at Deepdale.
"The work ethic the players put into the game deserved more than no points," Alexander reflected post-match. "I was extremely touched by what I felt coming out of the tunnel. It was a special moment, but Rome wasn't built in a day."
Part II: St. Andrew's Nightmare (Birmingham City 4-0 Preston North End)
FT. https://t.co/x5FosWsn1g
— Preston North End FC (@pnefc) October 13, 2026
If Saturday was a tight, attritional contest decided by fine margins, Tuesday night's trip to St. Andrew's at Knighthead Park was a brutal baptism of fire.
Looking to rebound, Alexander made three changes to his side, bringing in Thierry Small, Stan Mills, and Liam Gibbs. North End threatened early through Callum Lang’s glancing header, but Birmingham City kept momentum afloat from their weekend victory at West Brom and soon took complete control.
A devastating 11-minute blitz before the interval tore Preston apart. Former Lilywhite Liam Millar opened the scoring on 34 minutes, before Danish striker August Priske grabbed a rapid double in first-half stoppage time (45+2', 45+4') to put Blues 3-0 up.
Preston's night unravelled completely in the 56th minute when Stan Mills was shown a second yellow card for a late challenge on Alex Cochrane. Playing over half an hour with ten men, North End could do little to prevent substitute Demarai Gray from curling in a fourth on 76 minutes to seal a 4-0 thrashing in the Midlands.
The Verdict: Alexander's Uphill Battle Begins It has been a sharp introduction to life back in the Championship dugout for Graham Alexander. While his appointment by Chairman Ian Penrose was built on ambition, deep affection, and a track record of promotions across the EFL, these opening two matches have highlighted clear areas of concern:
Incisiveness in Front of Goal: Despite good spells against Millwall, failure to take early chances left PNE vulnerable to late sucker punches.
Defensive Fragility & Discipline: The collapse at St. Andrew's exposed a structure easily rattled under sustained pressure, compounding problems with a costly second-half red card.
Transition & Belief: Adjusting from a high-flying squad at Bradford to a low-confidence North End team requires time time Alexander must quickly utilise it to instill his trademark resilience.
With two tough results in his first week, the honeymoon period is officially over. Alexander has promised longevity, consistency, and determination to turn goodwill into points. The PNE faithful will be desperate to see those words translated onto the pitch when the Lilywhites look to kickstart the new era in their upcoming Sky Bet Championship fixtures.
Match Facts & Lineups Birmingham City: 1. James Beadle (GK), 26. Bright Osayi-Samuel, 5. Phil Neumann, 4. Christoph Klarer (C), 20. Alex Cochrane, 24. Tomoki Iwata (Taylor Gardner-Hickman 75’), 14. Jhon Solís (Max Bird 60’), 16. Patrick Roberts (Carlos Vicente 75’), 28. Jay Stansfield (Marvin Ducksch 82’), 17. Liam Millar (Demarai Gray 60’), 9. August Priske (Formation 4-2-3-1)
Subs: Ethan Laird, Carlos Vicente, Demarai Gray, Max Bird, Taylor Gardner-Hickman, Ryan Allsop, Dael Fry, Luis Vázquez, Marvin Ducksch.
Bookings: None.
Goals: Millar 34', Priske 45+2', 45+4', Gray 76'.
Manager: Chris Davies
Preston North End: 1. Daniel Iversen (GK), 7. Alfie Devine (Lewis Gibson 60’), 9. Callum Lang (Andrew Moran HT), 3. Thierry Small, 6. Jordan Storey, 8. Jordan Thompson (C), 15. Andrew Hughes, 25. Stan Mills, 14. Liam Gibbs (Delano Burgzorg 24’), 2. Odel Offiah, 11. Leo Leroy (Formation 4-2-3-1)
Subs: Lee Nicholls, Pol Valentin, Andrija Vukcevic, Liam Lindsay, Jusef Erabi, George Gryba.
Bookings: Stan Mills (sent off for second yellow card 56').
Goals: None.
Manager: Graham Alexander
Referee: Sam Allison
Venue: St. Andrew's @ Knighthead Park
Harry Pascoe 
Ben Growdon 
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