Lang, Iversen, Gibson - Preston North End injury news for Coventry City with double blow and one boost
Latest team news from Paul Heckingbottom’s pre-match press conference
Preston North End will be without Callum Lang until after the international break.
The 27-year-old, signed for a ‘club record’ fee on transfer deadline day from Portsmouth, was forced off in last Friday’s loss to Oxford United. It was his fifth outing for PNE but Lang had to make way just before the half-time whistle. There are a couple of issues which he will now need to overcome.
On the number 10, manager Paul Heckingbottom said on Tuesday: “Yeah, Callum's out. “Everyone saw him take that whack at the weekend but in those mechanics, when he went to push off again, he strained his hamstring as well.
“So, nothing serious. But yeah, he wouldn't have been fit either way. So, looking at after the international break. I think the next few games, he'll still be too sore. Or, if we're thinking about it, his history and that, it'll be too risky.
“So, I would’ve thought it'll be after the international break. It's those things when you've been out a while, I think you tend to get a little bit of bad luck. If he hadn't have suffered that whack, he'd still be fine.
“But we wouldn't have been starting him in this game anyway after the back of, you know, we'd gradually built him up. We would have preferred him to be fit to keep getting those training minutes and game time into him, build up that robustness.
“It's obviously a big blow for us and it will be really frustrating for him. Just to stress, nothing major... but I'm better telling you guys the truth because he could come back after the break and it might be his hamstring keeping him out and not his ankle.
“The tackle, I've not seen it back but the mechanics of the tackle, he's gone to push, loaded all one leg, gone to push to recover and just felt that at the same time. So, one of those things for him.”
On the importance of this summer, to get Lang in the best condition possible, the PNE boss said: “Just training. That's why, like I said, I wouldn't have had him playing in this game. We've been managing his minutes and that'll be the same when he's back between now and the end of the season.
“That'll be the same thing, because I think for me, him, all of us, I would like him going into summer with the confidence that he knows he's over it. Then, has a good pre-season and he's on the same page as everyone.”
Another player who looks unlikely to feature against Coventry City on Wednesday night is defender Lewis Gibson. The centre-back headed straight down the tunnel after being substituted on 62 minutes last time out.
“Lewis has torn a muscle in his shoulder,” said Heckingbottom. “So, he'll be a doubt. If it's too painful or functionally he can't play, then he doesn't play. He was injured then (for Oxford’s third goal). Again, you don't know.
“Gibbo is not the type of lad to come out with any excuses, not at all. Whether he’s injured or not, he'll want to defend those situations. That's one of his strengths. He's a good character, honest, wants to be as good as he can possibly be. So if he was, I don't think he'd even tell me.”
On a more positive note, number one goalkeeper Daniel Iversen will travel to the Midlands with Preston. The Dane hasn’t played since early January due to a groin injury, with North End winning just one game in his absence and losing six.
“Yeah, Dan's back,” said Heckingbottom. “He's been training now quite a while. Just that last little bit of him striking a ball, his confidence and us not taking risk with him. He's been back now while we train, so he's fine.
“I think for him, for us, for everyone, yeah, he's been chomping at the bit. When I say he's back now, he's been training, doing all the handling, it was just the fact that with the nature of his injury, kicking was a problem.
“He was champing at the bit all the time, diving about, doing all the handling drills with Polly. But obviously, if you're playing goal, you're going to have to kick it. Yeah (he will travel), Dan is fit and available.”
Cornell and Lukovic latest
On the loan striker, Heckingbottom said: “Dai had some bad swelling in his hip but he's trained today, so he's alright. Milos is back training. The game is too early for him, with the chickenpox. But, he’s back in training.
“So, we'll just make sure now that he's over the virus. He'll not be travelling; he'll be doing a bit of work here. We'll just introduce him slowly and hopefully, get him back with us properly on Friday to travel.”