Darnell’s Fisher’s return to action is big boost for Preston North End

Alex Neil was relieved to see Darnell Fisher come through Preston’s Carabao Cup win at Derby after the right-back had his pre-season disrupted by injury.
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Fisher played the full 90 minutes and had a good night at Pride Park, providing the assist for Tom Barkhuizen’s goal and winning the penalty from which Daniel Johnson scored the late winner.

The 26-year-old had been restricted to just 73 minutes of action in pre-season by a calf injury,picked up at Everton.

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He did not make the squad for the Championship opener against Swansea, Fisher instead working on his fitness with the conditioning coach before that match.

Preston North End right-back Darnell FisherPreston North End right-back Darnell Fisher
Preston North End right-back Darnell Fisher

Another player who was injured in pre-season, Declan Rudd, also came back into the fray at Derby.

The keeper has recovered from a strained quad muscle and is in line to face former club Norwich on Saturday.

PNE boss Neil said: “It is always nice when you get players back.

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“Declan has been the No.1 pretty much all the time I have been here and Darnell has been a key player for us at right-back.

“It was good that Darnell got through 90 minutes, I was a little bit worried about him before the game and thought I might have to take him off.

“His conditioning looked good, he did well.”

Neil started Alan Browne at right-back against Swansea in preference to Joe Rafferty and Fisher, who was still working on his fitness.

At Derby, Rafferty played at left-back with Andrew Hughes on the bench and Josh Earl out with a glute injury.

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Some of those who played at Derby will not have done their chances any harm when it comes to pressing a claim to face Norwich.

Neil says several factors will come into play for the weekend selection.

Said Neil: “I don’t see it as a selection problem because it is nice to have.

“We’ve got lads who were in good form in the week and some of the lads did well last Saturday.

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“You can’t base it on one game, you have to take the collective – try and look at it over the course.

“You’ve got look at who is in form, that they are fresh and ready, how they are training, how you are going to line up.

“How you line up is sometimes going to lean towards certain players rather than others.

“I have to try and pick the best team to win the game.”

North End will find out their Carabao Cup third-round opponents tonight, with Brighton taking on Portsmouth.

PNE will be at home to the winners next week.

The draw for the fourth round follows the Brighton versus Portsmouth game.

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