PNE make the trip to The Hawthorns on Saturday

Preston North End will need to assess some of their international players ahead of Saturday’s trip to West Brom.

Ali McCann, Andrija Vukcevic, Milutin Osmajic and Stefan Thordarson all went away with their countries, while Thierry Small and Harrison Armstrong represented England at Under-21 and Under-19 level, respectively.

Manager Paul Heckingbottom said on Thursday afternoon: “We’re always picking things up every game - one or two from during the international break. I think everyone will be fine, but it's something we have to be aware of and manage. We've got three games in six days; you run the risk.

“Particularly training camps, and we’re not with them, things like that. You tend to always be picking up the pieces after an international break. You cross your fingers that everyone comes back fit and well. (Osmajic’s) back's OK but he's come back, like I said he's been flogged while he's out there.

“He's played two full games and the training's been intense. I think he's one of the ones who's feeling things off the back of that; we'd been looking after him because he'd not been training. Then he picked up his back injury... these are all part and parcel of it. Until you get through the November international break, you've got a real lack of control over the players really.”

There is extra attention on Osmajic given the verdict from his FA hearing has still not been announced. The striker was charged in mid-March and had his hearing last month, but Heckingbottom wasn’t anticipating any progress over the break.

Heckingbottom said: “The process has been played out now, but then when you've got QCs and people like that involved in it, everyone's got to be there on the same day. All of a sudden, everyone's diary's got to be free at the same time and that's sort of where we're at, at the minute.

“I think we're looking at now it's going to be the beginning of next month. We just want to make sure it comes to a conclusion. There'll still be, I presume, dialogue between all parties until that point but that's the date when we're looking to get the outcome of it.”

Elsewhere, the Lilywhites’ boss is not expecting any of his injured cohort to return this weekend. PNE will remain without Pol Valentin, Jordan Thompson, Brad Potts, Will Keane and Robbie Brady.

Heckingbottom added: “Yeah, still not fit (Keane, Valentin, Potts). The easiest thing to say is they're not fit, that's it. Progressing. When things have been reoccurring, or struggled to get over that last little bit, it’s pointless putting a time frame on it.

“You're fit when you're fit and we have to do all we can to support them through that. That moment when they are training and they get to that point, probably show a little bit more caution and patience as well.

“Jordan we've had in and around the squad, just doing all the non-contact stuff, warm-ups, passing drills, maybe on the outside in possession. Things like that, just to get him functionally moving. He's missed a lot of football.

“I think the longer a player's out, the more of that they need. It's a big step forward - one you enjoy more as a player when you're able to be around the players and be actually kicking a football, joining in with as much stuff as you can. He'll continue down that path I think for a little while longer.”

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