Midfielder Alan Browne has been the most utilised member of Preston squad this season

The Lilywhites skipper’s red card at Middlesbrough in midweek earned him a three-game ban, PNE’s plea for a shorter suspension falling on deaf ears.

Not until April 10 when Brentford visit Deepdale will Browne be available for North End, with the international break and Easter fixtures coming before then.

In the Championship Browne has made 32 starts, clocking-up 2758 minutes on the pitch.

Scott Sinclair is second in the list, his 30 starts and two sub appearances totalling 2411 minutes.

Even if the winger was to start and finish the next three games in Browne’s absence, he wouldn’t catch him up.

Andrew Hughes is third on the list for minutes on the pitch, playing for 2174 minutes in 24 starts and two appearances off the bench.

Then comes winger Tom Barkhuizen, his 22 starts and 14 times as a sub totting-up to 2052 minutes.

On the whoscored.com statistics website, Browne is classed as the North End player with the most aggression.

In the league he has six yellow cards in addition to Tuesday night’s red.

Whoscored.com also have the Irishman down as their top player in terms of ratings this season – he is averaging seven out of 10.

Browne’s sending-off was North End’s third red card of the season.

Tom Barkhuizen got the first against Stoke City in September, then Joe Rafferty was sent for an early bath in the home defeat to Blackburn.

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