Three Preston North End injuries confirmed as updates given ahead of Wrexham

Preston North End assistant manager Stuart McCall has shared three fresh injury concerns for the club.

However, the PNE No.2 was quick to offer some promising news as it looks like at least two of them may be back on the pitch in no time. The returns of Ali McCann and Daniel Jebbison to the Boxing Day XI were welcomed, as well as Jamal Lewis getting back on the pitch from the bench after a calf issue.

However, fans noticed three names were omitted from the 20-man North End team sheet when it came through. Andrija Vukcevic - who has already missed a fair chunk of the season through a hamstring issue - didn’t feature for Paul Heckingbottom’s side at the bet365 Stadium. Nor did Lewis Dobbin or Stefan Thordarson.

Additionally, Alfie Devine - who did enter the fray off the bench - went into the match with a slight knock from Saturday but was able to get some minutes under his belt.

Speaking to BBC Radio Lancashire about those absences, McCall said: “Unfortunately, just as we were getting people back, Andy Vukcevic has had a recurrence of his hamstring. Dobbo has got a minor muscle issue - [don’t know] whether he'll be available for Wrexham.

“Same with Alfie Devine today. The most Alfie could get today was 20-25 minutes. Again, he had a little injury and Stef has got a little bit of tendonitis, his Achilles, so it's more of a rest for him. So, yeah, just as we think we're getting most of the players back, we had three or four missing again today.

“Hopefully, come Wrexham, Alfie will be fully fit by then. [Liam] Lindsay as well. He was ill all night so even though he was named on the bench, there was no way we were going to bring him on. Obviously, Milutin (Osmajic) will be back in the squad after his ban and I think we've come through totally unscathed today which is nice.”

Asked for a clearer picture on the length of those injuries, McCall said: “Alfie will be back. Dobbs will be fine. Stef should be available any time soon and hopefully, Linds is a 24-hour thing.”

On the other hand, McCall was pleased with the returning players at a busy time of the season.

“Jamal got a little bit of minutes today,” said McCall. “He’s only trained two days with us and obviously, Ali started and JT (Jordan Thompson) was back in then. So, yeah, it's looking slightly healthier. I know that injuries are part and parcel of football, but just when we're looking as though we're really strong we've had a couple of little ones today.”

PNE only brought on four out of a possible five substitutes and McCall shed some light on how that decision was partly down to managing those coming back from long-term issues, namely Brad Potts and Will Keane. The pair returned from long-term injuries last weekend in the 1-1 draw with Norwich City.

“There was a stage, probably about 75 minutes in, we were looking to get Potts on as well,” McCall told the Lancashire Post, “But Pol [Valentin] was doing well and Sorba Thomas is a difficult winger to play against.

“I think if we were behind in the game, Pottsy would have definitely been on and probably Keano, but because we were doing what we were doing and Pol felt fine, it's not easy to come on and then have him to defend.”