Duo set for Preston North End returns at Sheffield Wednesday in big boost to visitors
The Lilywhites are back on the road in the Championship on Saturday
Preston North End could be boosted by two returning midfielders at Sheffield Wednesday this weekend.
The Lilywhites head to Hillsborough on the back of Tuesday night’s 1-1 draw at Watford. PNE sit sixth in the Championship table after 17 games, and are looking to return to winning ways after two draws and a defeat.
Captain Ben Whiteman is back from his one game suspension but North End may also see loan star Harrison Armstrong return - the England youth international tweaked his groin over the international break and has missed the previous two matches.
Heckingbottom confirmed that everyone came through the Vicarage Road contest fine, albeit there were some sore legs, and cramp, among the squad. Therefore, it should be a double boost with no further blows suffered.
“Everyone will be fine, plus Ben and hopefully Harrison to that,” said Heckingbottom. “We’re in a stronger position, we’ll welcome them back. They've been good. I think Ben's been really consistent, had a good pre-season, played a lot of forward passes which, obviously, I've been banging on about for a long, long time.
“But then without the ball, I think it's really evident he's had a good pre-season because he's been getting about the pitch, defending the box well, so he's been playing well and we want him to keep to those standards.
“Harrison, we know what he brings: a hell of a lot of energy, good quality on the ball and we still think we can improve in between now and the end of the season as well - and he's determined to improve. So yeah, they're two good additions because we were two short on the bench as well, so it's ideal for us.”
Midweek saw Jordan Thompson play his first minutes for Preston since signing in the summer. The former Stoke City man got through 62 minutes against the Hornets, and Heckingbottom fully expects him to go from strength-to-strength over the upcoming festive period.
“Yeah, I think you can see what he is,” said Heckingbottom. “He's a midfielder who looks to get on the ball, looks to control the middle of the pitch, competes, tenacious, understands the game, gives us balance because he's got a left foot. He's always on the move so his metres per minute, he covers a lot of distance.
“He may not be that box-to-box, explosive midfielder - like when you see Harrison, his legs and all of a sudden, boom, he's gone. But Jordan, yeah, lots of energy, gets about the pitch and is as good with the ball as he is without it.”
PNE boss on suspension tightrope
Liam Lindsay and Jordan Storey both head into the game on four bookings. Should either be shown a yellow card in the next two games, they will receive a one-game ban. With Lewis Gibson sidelined through injury the North End manager admits it must be taken into consideration. As for the instructions? Fairly simple.
“Just don't get silly ones!” said Heckingbottom. “We don't want that at the best of times but I think it does put more emphasis on it. We want to win; you've got to defend for your team to win the game. The worst case is they both get booked at the same time. Best case is neither does and we get through the next couple of games.
“But you need to be aware of it, because there could come a point where we have a decision, tactically, to make - a sub comes off and if one of those centre-backs has been booked and the other's not, then we try and protect ourselves that way. Other than that, there's no real dilemma and there's no real instructions.”