Cardiff City vs Preston North End early team and injury news with 4 out and 2 doubts
It's a long away trip up next for PNE in the Championship
Preston North End face Cardiff City away from home on Wednesday night.
The Lilywhites are back on the road, after drawing 1-1 with Sheffield Wednesday last weekend. It’s now a trip down to south Wales, to face a side whose weekend fixture was postponed due to Storm Darragh.
Both North End and the Bluebirds are desperate for a win, with Paul Heckingbottom’s side having last tasted victory on October 19.
Since then, PNE have drawn seven matches and lost two, while it’s one win in seven for Wednesday’s hosts - who handed Omer Riza the manager’s job on a permanent basis last week.
Here’s the team news from both camps, ahead of the clash!
Preston North End team news
It’s a clean bill of health for the Lilywhites, with Robbie Brady said to be back in the fold for this one. He was the only remaining absentee for Preston last time out. The Irishman suffered ankle ligament damage in late October, but returned to training last week and will travel with the squad to Cardiff. The PNE boss welcomed Liam Lindsay and Mads Frokjaer back, at Hillsborough, thought he former played no part.
On Brady, Heckingbottom said: “Same available and Robbie has added to that now as well. So yeah, we are taking a big squad down there. Especially when you are playing Wednesday night and early on Saturday, it is good. And, it’s the first time while I have been here, where I’ve felt we’ve got that whole squad available, virtually.”
Cardiff City team news
The Bluebirds’ match against Watford was postponed last weekend. But, before that game there were some injury concerns over David Turnbull - who sustained a hamstring injury in the Coventry City contest. There was no suggestion of him returning for the Hornets encounter. Anwar El Ghazi is expected to return for the home side, but Aaron Ramsey, Ryotaro Tsunoda, Isaak Davies and Kion Etete will play no part.
Ahead of the game, Riza said: "Their last few results have been quite good. They work hard, they’re an aggressive side out of possession. They’ll come out, they’ll come after us and they’ll make it hard for us. They’ve got their way of doing things; obviously we’ve studied that and hopefully we’ll find ways to counteract it."
Out: Aaron Ramsey, Kion Etete, Isaak Davies, Ryotaro Tsunoda. Doubt: Anwar El Ghazi, David Turnbull