Alan Irvine has won 44 of his 103 games in charge of Preston North End

Preston North End manager Alan Irvine has demanded that his side learn from their mistakes or risk dropping out of Championship play-off contention.

Irvine was angered after seeing North End slip to 11th following Saturday's 2-0 defeat by Watford.

"We have to learn a number of lessons from what went wrong," he told BBC Radio Lancashire.

"We are not doing what's required in order to get results in this division and the players are aware of that."

The 51-year-old former Everton assistant boss has asked North End fans not to panic over the club's recent run of form, which has brought just one in seven games.

I look at every game in great detail and look at improving things either as individuals or as a unit Preston manager Alan Irvine

But, despite still being only three points off sixth-placed Leicester City, Irvine is concerned that the decline does not become insurmountable.

"You've always got plenty to work on," he said. "Whether you win, lose or draw there are things that you try to do better.

"I look at every game in great detail and look at improving things either as individuals or as a unit.

"People assume you've got more to work on when you lose, but I like to look at everything regardless of the result."

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