Two Preston North End players expected to miss the rest of the season through to injury
Duane Holmes was stretchered off at Norwich City
Preston North End manager Paul Heckingbottom doesn’t expect to see Jack Whatmough play again this season.
The defender was forced off in the second half of last weekend’s FA Cup clash against Wycombe Wanderers, with a calf issue. He was then not involved in Tuesday night’s trip to Norwich City and the North End boss admitted it doesn’t look good for the centre-back.
Heckingbottom said: “Jack's going to be out for a while, yeah, nasty one. Whether we see him again this season is doubtful. Yeah, another blow to him, to us. We've had that...
“Two weeks ago or ten days ago I was talking to you about being delighted to have everyone back fit and how strong our bench is. And yeah, should have kept my mouth shut.”
Preston’s treatment table is getting busier with captain Ben Whiteman already sidelined along with senior men Jordan Storey and Robbie Brady - while Emil Riis has also missed the last couple of games due to a groin issue.
And North End were dealt another very serious blow on Tuesday night, with Duane Holmes having to be stretchered off at Norwich. The American was booted in the calf by Canaries defender Shane Duffy and his night was over with 20 minutes on the clock. It is a suspected leg break for the midfielder.
“He's in hospital so yeah, it's not looking good,” said Heckingbottom. We'll get around Duane and make sure he's okay but yeah, it's not good and it's put a dampener on a fantastic victory. Horrible, yeah, horrible.
“They are rarities now in football with how little contact there is. His leg was just his leg was planted and Shane just kicked through the back of his planted leg, so nowhere for it to go and just a heavy, heavy tackle.”
“We had to be fantastic without the ball, and we were.”
The injury to Holmes saw Heckingbottom turn to Brad Potts and deploy the number 44 in midfield at Carrow Road - over Sam Greenwood. Potts has played right wing-back for the last three years at PNE but Heckingbottom gave him another run in the centre against the Canaries.
“Like I say, learning about the players and those players understanding what I want from them,” said Heckingbottom. “Experience is big, knowledge of the position is big... coming to Carrow Road and how you want to win here - you've got to pay them the respect.
“Sometimes they can blow teams away here if they're getting the flow. They've got good footballers so we had to be fantastic without the ball, and we were. But then likewise we had to be as brave as we were with the ball and keep the ball from them.”