Preston North End injury update and Paul Heckingbottom on ‘great’ Deepdale atmosphere ahead of Lancashire derby

Preston North End take on Blackburn Rovers on Saturday lunchtime at Deepdale.

North End are looking for their first league win of the season, having started the Championship campaign with four straight defeats which leaves them bottom of the table heading into this weekend.

Paul Heckingbottom began his Thursday pre-match press conference by issuing an injury update ahead of the game.

The PNE boss said Ali McCann will be out for ‘months’ earlier this week, after suffering a hamstring tear in the Carabao Cup defeat to Everton last month.

When asked for a more precise answer on his return, Heckingbottom told BBC Radio Lancashire he didn’t know how many months it would be, but it would take some time for him to recover.

“No pressure on him getting back,” Heckingbottom said, “I've just been chatting with him this morning, he’s happy with the information he's had and he knows it's going to be a lot of weeks before he’s back fit.

“Hopefully things progress smoothly and then when we get him back training with us, we'll know exactly where he's at. But it won't be for the foreseeable, no.”

As for Andrew Hughes and Brad Potts, their recoveries are progressing well, and Hughes may be back this weekend..

“Pottsy did a little bit with us this morning. Hughesy, we'll see how he is tomorrow [Friday].

“Hughesy is one of those because he's been playing and done pre-season. When he's fit, say if he's on the grass tomorrow and comes through it ok, then he's available.

“Pottsy is a little bit different with the time he's been out now. He needs to get back training with us and then we'll build him up to up to speed again, whether that's using him with us but sparingly.

“I would have thought the international break, for him, will be a big few weeks.”

Heckingbottom praised Blackburn boss Tony Mowbray for the style he has implemented in his teams over the years but says PNE can counteract it.

“His teams have always played good football,” he told BBC Radio Lancashire.

“I think there's a looseness to them in possession, which can cause you problems if you don't play with discipline.

“We have to make sure that we do and respect that and make sure that if and when they are getting good possession of the ball, it's where we want them to have it at, because he does encourage his teams to play, and we have to make sure that we can deal with that.

“But likewise, [we will] try and impose ourselves with and without the ball like we did the other night, especially with the ball and make them defend and make them worry about what we can do and how we create chances.“

The PNE chief is hoping for another lively atmosphere at Deepdale after strong support from the home faithful on Tuesday night.

He told the Lancashire Post: “I think it will be [a good atmosphere]. Derby game, early kick-off, cameras there. I think it will be.

“We need to play our part and sustain that. You saw at half-time how the fans were with the players because with the performance that they'd seen, they really appreciated it.

“We all thought we should have been in front. We weren't. You can't feel sorry for yourself. You've got to go out there and perform.

“I think I'm expecting the atmosphere to be great and hopefully we get the result on Saturday.”