It’s the international break this weekend which means no match for PNE

Preston North End manager Paul Heckingbottom should have his squad boosted for next weekend’s match against Middlesbrough.

In the final match before the international break - a narrow 1-0 loss at Portsmouth - the Lilywhites were dealt a double injury blow. Top scorer Milutin Osmajic and Tottenham Hotspur loan man Alfie Devine were two more players forced on to the sidelines.

PNE were already without a handful of experienced, senior players in Robbie Brady, Brad Potts, Will Keane and summer recruit Jordan Thompson - all of whom have not featured yet in the 2025/26 campaign.

Speaking at Fratton Park, Heckingbottom expected to have Devine and Osmajic back for Boro. He explained Devine wasn’t worth risking, while the Montenegro international will have some treatment on the rib issue suffered against Wrexham.

Regarding his other quartet of injured players, the PNE boss said: “Pottsy isn’t far away... probably Pottsy, then Keano and Robbie after that. Obviously, Milly and Alfie next week, no problems. So yeah, hopefully we've got - touch wood with the internationals - a bit more strength again on the bench and more attacking players.”

Heading away on international duty is deadline day loan recruit Harrison Armstrong, who has already been in England U19 action. Ali McCann (Northern Ireland), Stefan Thordarson (Iceland) and Andrija Vukcevic (Montenegro) and Thierry Small (England U21) have also been called up. Osmajic has withdrawn from the Montenegro squad.

“I am really excited about the squad...”

Speaking to the Lancashire Post this week, CEO Peter Ridsdale said: “Start of the season, very good in my view, versus what the fixture list looked like. We’ve got a stronger squad going into the Middlesbrough game, than we had last week. We will, hopefully, have a couple of the injured players back again.

“We haven’t seen Jordan Thompson yet. He is going to be another few weeks. Sadly, he had to be operated on. We were told when we signed him that he didn’t have to, but he is a very good player who we haven’t seen yet. We’ve got Pottsy coming back, we got Mads back last Saturday. And we’ve suddenly got three players who we signed over the last few weeks, who will be match fit.

“So, Alfie, Lewis (Dobbin) and Harrison added to the squad. Milly got injured against Wrexham; I would expect him back for Middlesbrough. So, I am really excited about the squad and what we can achieve this year. All those people who were betting on us going down this year, I think will lose a lot of money, hopefully.”

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