Preston North End manager Ryan Lowe opens up on difficult conversations he has to have with players as squad fills up

PNE beat Rotherham United 2-1 in Yorkshire on Tuesday night, thanks to goals from Tom Cannon and Ched Evans, but he made some alterations to the side that won 2-0 against Cardiff just a few days prior.

Alan Browne missed the match as he welcomed in his second son, with Andrew Hughes unavailable through injury at the time.

Both were restored to the matchday squad for the trip to the Millers meaning that it was Ben Woodburn – who started the last game – and Patrick Bauer that missed out.

Liam Lindsay was available again after serving a two-match suspension but was struggling with a tight hamstring that he picked up against Coventry City as he made it 10 bookings for the season.

The North End boss admitted it is not easy having to leave players out of the squad but has warned that it is becoming increasingly likely that there will be some players in the stands as the weeks go on but the message is that they must be ready to play regardless.

He said: “It's tough. I had a conversation with Ben on Monday. It's tough for Patrick, he's back out of the squad. We've got Liam Lindsay coming back soon, we've got Ali McCann potentially coming back soon so there could be four or five players out of the squad.

"What I've said to the lads is tonight we felt we needed a bit of cover down the left hand side because Greg has played a lot of games and we didn't have a lefty on the bench, so we brought Hughesy back in for Patrick.

"They've all just got to make sure they're game ready, they've all still got a big part to play. It's disappointing when you have to have those conversations of: 'can you perform better? Can you do a little bit better?'

"But they're all here, they all care and they all want to be there for the team. That's just the way it is.

"Some games will change, we don't know if we've got any injuries tonight and then we'll have to go with someone else but that's what happens when you've got a decent squad and the size of it. We just have to make sure collectively we're together in everything we do.”

One injury concern that cropped up in midweek was that of goalscorer Evans who had to be replaced with 20 minutes to go.

The Welshman has been in fine form since his goalscoring form kickstarted in November with five in just six days, Lowe, however, is not worried for the fitness of his no.9.

“He's sound, he's just jarred his neck,” he said. “He probably could have got a bit of protection along the way, Ched doesn't fall over for nothing. I'm not too concerned over it, I'm sure he'll be alright.

"He got a bit of a stiff neck and he knows when the right time to come off his. When he couldn't look up and see the balls in the air - that's one of his strengths, bringing it down.

"He'll be fine, we'll rest and recover him and he'll be ready for Saturday.”