Preston North End predicted team vs West Brom as one change at least expected from Sheffield Wednesday win
PNE are in action at The Hawthorns on New Year's Day
Preston North End manager Paul Heckingbottom will have Liam Lindsay back available for the New Year’s Day trip to West Brom.
The Lilywhites head to The Hawthorns on Wednesday in good spirits following consecutive league wins. North End secured that for the first time this season with the victories against Hull City and West Brom, over the festive period, at Deepdale.
Now, they get on the road and head to the Midlands to face a currently manager-less Albion. Carlos Corberan’s move to Valencia was confirmed on Christmas Day and the Baggies are yet to appoint a successor to the Spaniard.
Lindsay is in contention again after his two-match suspension but Jack Whatmough’s recent displays should see the number five retain his place - barring any fitness issues. Freddie Woodman, Jordan Storey, Andrew Hughes and Kaine Kesler-Hayden are all in the same boat.
Robbie Brady and Brad Potts both appear unlikely to return from injury and so another start for Josh Bowler out wide could well be handed out - the on-loan Nottingham Forest man, whose future at PNE has been cast into doubt in the media, impressed in the win over Wednesday.
In central midfield club captain Ben Whiteman was given the nod against Hull but then dropped to the bench for the Owls clash - with Stefan Thordarson returning. It is a difficult call to predict which one of those will partner Ali McCann - who almost certainly won’t be dropped.
Up front Emil Riis has surely worked his way back into the starting XI after his brace last weekend. And Sam Greenwood is as good as nailed on for another start given his contribution in that win. Will Keane was not quite at the races versus Danny Rohl’s side though, so Mads Frokjaer may well come back in.
Predicted PNE XI vs West Brom: Woodman; Storey, Whatmough, Hughes, Bowler, McCann, Thordarson, Kesler-Hayden, Frokjaer, Greenwood, Riis.