Preston North End make three changes for Sunderland clash as modern legend misses out on potentially final game

Johnson is the only change to the squad, with Noah Mawene coming in for the Jamaican. In terms of the starting XI, Liam Lindsay, Ali McCann and Liam Delap all come in from the off, with Patrick Bauer, Josh Onomah and Johnson all missing out.

Bauer and Onomah have taken spaces on the bench instead.

There are places in the squad for two more academy graduates, Lewis Leigh and Jacob Slater, the former making his first team debut in the last game against Sheffield United.

Freddie Woodman starts in goal, making it 46 out of 46 for the Championship season for him. Jordan Storey, Lindsay and Andrew Hughes make up the back three, with Brad Potts at right wing back and Alvaro Fernandez at left wing back. The Spaniard is one of four starters whose loans end this afternoon.

McCann starts in the middle of midfield alongside Ryan Ledson, who captains the side.

Troy Parrot, Delap and Tom Cannon make up a trio of attacking loanees who are tasked with winning the game with North End. Cannon has eight goals in his loan so far, Parrott two and Delap one.

Tony Mowbray has named an unchanged side for Sunderland, for whom a win could take them into the play-offs at the last, providing results elsewhere go their way.

PNE Starting XI: Woodman, Storey, Lindsay, Hughes, Potts, McCann, Ledson, Fernandez, Parrott, Delap, Cannon.

PNE subs: Cornell, Bauer, Slater, Leigh, Woodburn, Onomah, Mawene.

Sunderland Starting XI :Patterson, Gooch, Hume, O’Nien, Cirkin, Neil, Ekwah, Roberts, Amad, Clarke, Gelhardt.

Sunderland subs: Bass, Anderson, Michut, Ba, Pritchard, Lihadji, Taylor.