Preston North End's on-loan Cardiff City winger suffers injury blow

The 26-year-old went over on his ankle in Friday’s training session ahead of the Blackpool game.

He’s damaged a ligament and is expected to be out for several weeks.

Murphy has found game time limited since his deadline-day arrival from Cardiff City on a season’s loan.

It’s another attacking option taken away from the squad though, as North End negotiate a tough spell of fixtures.

Murphy wouldn’t have been available for Wednesday night’s Carabao Cup clash with Liverpool at Deepdale as he is cup-tied having played for Cardiff in previous rounds of the competition.

PNE head coach Frankie McAvoy said: “Josh has damaged one of the ligaments in his ankle.

“We are not sure of the exact time scale but he will be a good few weeks.”

Murphy had made seven appearances off the bench for the Lilywhites.

His bid to be involved on a more regular basis is now on hold for a few weeks.

Said McAvoy: “Josh got the injury on Friday, he went over on his ankle.

“When guys are running at full speed, are quick and change direction on the turn, these injuries can happen.

“Josh will come back from this, it will take him a bit of time but we’ve got him for the season.”

Murphy is the latest new boy to suffer an injury over the last few months.

Izzy Brown, Connor Wickham, Matthew Olosunde and Ali McCann have all been visitors to the Euxton treatment room.

Olosunde and McCann are now back in full training and in the squad to face Liverpool.

McCann travelled with the squad to Blackpool on Saturday, a game Olosunde watched with the PNE fans in the away stand.

On the morning of the game, Olosunde had played in an inter-squad match to get game time under his belt.

McAvoy said: “Matthew played 70 minutes which was great for him. He came through that and is training with the squad.

“The game was played at Springfields early on Saturday morning, we had the academy boys playing and some of the guys who weren’t involved in the Blackpool game.”

Olosunde has played just once for PNE, the pre-season friendly at St Johnstone in July. He damaged a ligament in the ankle/Achilles tendon in that match.

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