Preston North End injury news for Southampton and selection hint over January signing
PNE host Southampton in their final game of the Championship season
Preston North End boss Paul Heckingbottom kept his cards close to his chest with regards to Saturday’s availability.
He did confirm, however, that everyone bar long-term absentee Jamal Lewis had trained ahead of Southampton’s visit to Deepdale. That is significant given the number of players who missed last weekend’s win at Sheffield United.
For the trip to Bramall Lane, captain Ben Whiteman missed out with injury along with Odel Offiah, Andrew Hughes, Milutin Osmajic, Ali McCann and Callum Lang. The PNE boss did suggest some of those might not be risked, this weekend.
“The only person not training today was Jamal Lewis, so everyone's been training,” said Heckingbottom to BBC Lancashire. “We’ll see how everyone is tomorrow. Listen, everyone's keen, wants to be involved, I get that.
“So, we'll see how they all are. I'm not saying who's going to be involved; who's not. It's too soon, but it's nice to have everyone there and we'll see where we are. We need to make intelligent decisions as well in the last game.”
There was a hint, though, that January loan signing Milos Lukovic could make only his second appearance for the club. Shortly after joining on loan from Strasbourg, the Serbian striker started against Portsmouth.
However, he made way at half-time and, despite being on the bench most weeks, hasn’t got on the pitch since. The PNE boss was asked about that signing again on Thursday and implied he could look to involve Lukovic in some capacity.
“Always going to be risk,” said Heckingbottom. “That's a case of, ‘What have we got? What can we spend? Can we go and do it?’ I feel for Milos. The margins are fine. That debut if scores when we throw him straight in and he’s needed...
“(But) he doesn’t, and he realises how hard it is and then it's just been a time of adjustment for him. Others have stepped up, so that’s it. The thing is, and I say this to people, if people in the squad are helping you perform, they're playing their part.
“He'll love to be on the pitch on Saturday, I know he will. He’d love to sign off with a goal. Certainly, over the last couple of weeks he's been giving more and more in training and for me that's just a sign that he's beginning to settle.”