Preston North End predicted team for derby night at Blackburn Rovers

Preston North End manager Ryan Lowe could name an unchanged side for Friday night's Lancashire derby at Blackburn Rovers.

The Lilywhites returned to winning ways last weekend, after going seven matches without victory in the Championship. Sixth placed PNE face 10th placed Rovers and both sides have injury problems, with the hosts hit especially hard in recent weeks.

North End will remain without Ali McCann, Greg Cunningham, Jack Whatmough and long-term absentee Emil Riis - while Calvin Ramsay and Andrew Hughes are both doubts for the game. A return for the latter is possible, but Lowe did not offer much hope of that in his pre-match press conference.

Blackburn boss Jon Dahl Tomasson tends to operate with a back four and so PNE, as they have done on occasions this campaign, may come away from their wing-back system and match the hosts up. Youngster Kian Best is likely to keep his place if Hughes does not come back in. Milutin Osmajic should start again up top; Duane Holmes and Liam Millar could operate wide.

Ryan Ledson will be in Lowe's thinking for a derby fixture under the lights and if the Preston boss does see it necessary to start his number 18, then Mads Frokjaer could drop to the bench - despite being recalled to the starting XI last time out. Freddie Woodman, Brad Potts, Jordan Storey, Liam Lindsay, Ben Whiteman and captain Alan Browne are all nailed on starters.

Here's our predicted team for the Ewood Park encounter.