Preston North End manager Ryan Lowe is expected to welcome Jordan Storey back into his team for Saturday’s visit of Millwall.
The defender missed two games through illness prior to the international break, but has been back in training and preparing for this weekend’s test. Ali McCann, Jack Whatmough and Andrew Hughes are all expected to miss out - along with long-term absentees Calvin Ramsay and Emil Riis - but Ched Evans will return to the match day squad after six months on the sidelines.
There is then the international trio of Alan Browne, Liam Millar and Milutin Osmajic to take into consideration. The bulk of their minutes came last week, but in Osmajic’s case he only arrived back in England on Friday. A start for the Montenegrin, then, would come as a surprise unless North End view one day as sufficient time to get him ready physically, mentally and tactically.
With Will Keane back fit and available, the number seven could return to leading the line on his own - with a couple of attacking midfielders in behind him. Mads Frokjaer scored last time out and Duane Holmes has been a constant livewire this season, so Lowe has plenty of competition in the middle of the park - with Browne, Ryan Ledson, Ben Whiteman and Ben Woodburn all in contention too.
The absence of Hughes in Preston’s defence should see Greg Cunningham retain his place and make his first Deepdale start of the season, in the Championship. Freddie Woodman, Brad Potts and LIam Lindsay look nailed on starters too, but it will be interesting to see what formation Lowe goes with - and who operates down the left flank. The exciting Millar is the leading candidate, with PNE on home soil and looking to get back on track.
Here’s our predicted PNE XI for the Millwall match.
