Ryan Lowe provides Preston North End injury update with defender sidelined for ‘few weeks’

Preston North End defender Greg Cunningham is set for a spell on the sidelines, but striker Will Keane should be fine for this weekend says manager Ryan Lowe.

The pair were both forced off after 30 minutes, in last Saturday’s defeat at Hull City. Keane was withdrawn with a groin concern while Cunningham’s hamstring issue saw him make way. North End’s number seven has not suffered a serious problem, but defender Cunningham is set to miss the pre-international break clashes against Coventry City and Blackburn Rovers.

Elsewhere, Andrew Hughes is closing in on a return to action after missing several games with a calf injury. Liverpool loan man Calvin Ramsay is back in the building after his knee setback, but Ali McCann, Jack Whatmough and Emil Riis all remain absent for the time being.

"Hughesy is fine,” said Lowe on Thursday morning. “He is back on the grass and Will Keane is back on the grass, he's alright. Calvin has been with us all week and is doing well, we've just got to keep monitoring him. Greg will be a few weeks, he's got a strained hamstring from the weekend. Other than that, all good. It's nice to have Hughesy back on the grass. He will play a bit part today and we'll decide whether Saturday is too soon for him. Keano is fine, it was a bit of stiffness.

“He is alright. It was more fatigue really; I think Keano knows his body better than most. The last time he was away with Ireland, it was a tough one for him because he felt it. We thought it might be the same, but it was a different groin and it turns out there is nothing there - just delayed onset muscle soreness and fatigue, because he’d played a lot of games as well. He finished off his bits and bobs with the physios yesterday and he’ll join full training today. Calvin being back is a big plus for us - so all good.

“Greg has been playing fantastically well and you know you'll always get that. The thing we have sometimes, if playing Saturday-Wednesday-Saturday, is the build up of that and then it's maybe down to me to rotate a bit more. But, when you've got good players in your team - like could I have taken Greg out againt Hull? But, he'd been doing well and if I was to take him out he's not going to be happy. Those are the things you have to look at. So, it's a tough one to call because you want to keep them in when doing well, but you know at some point they may potentially break down."