How Preston North End might line-up at Bristol City this weekend following the FA Cup exit at Wycombe Wanderers

It would be safe to assume then, that Neil’s selection for this Saturday’s visit to Bristol City will not be the most taxing in terms that few who came into the side pressed their claim to start at Ashton Gate.

So how could North End look this coming Saturday?

Signings and contracts aside, a return to the back four of Darnell Fisher, Paul Huntington, Ben Davies and Andrew Hughes seems likely.

Fisher and Huntington both came off the bench at Wycombe to stabilise PNE.

Midfield is interesting with Alan Browne – a half-time sub on Saturday – and Daniel Johnson available, together with new boy Jayson Molumby.

Ben Pearson was not far off at the weekend after his month's injury lay-off, and could North End have landed Ben Whiteman by then?

Ched Evans comes into the equation up front after being cup-tied for the Wycombe game but Sean Maguire has done well of late.

There is Tom Barkhuizen and possibly Scott Sinclair to come back, Barkhuizen having been isolating recently while Sinclair injured his hamstring at Derby on Boxing Day.

Those who Neil had in mind when he spoke at Wycombe had all been in and around the squad this season.

In terms of playing time, there was only really Connor Ripley coming in from the cold – the keeper playing for the first time since September.

He was the one who came out with most credit despite having to pick the ball out of his net four times.

With Daniel Iversen having come in after Declan Rudd was injured last week, it looks like the Dane is favourite to start this weekend.

In the back four, Jordan Storey, Joe Rafferty and Josh Earl came in on Saturday.

That was a first appearance for Storey since the defeat at Luton, Rafferty last starting in the league clash with Wycombe a month ago.

Earl had played four games in a row before being benched for the Nottingham Forest game.

In midfield, Tom Bayliss started his second game on the bounce before being hooked at half-time along with Earl.

Molumby came in for his debut, while up front Emil Riis and Jayden Stockley were paired together.

Riis started for the first time since Barnsley on December 15 but had come on as a sub in all the games since.

Stockley’s last start was at Luton, with four appearances from the bench since.

Of the front two, Riis was the more impressive, winning North End's penalty and converting it.

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