Preston suffer double injury blow as Sean Maguire and Billy Bodin are ruled out

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Maguire will be sidelined for two months with a hamstring tendon injury while Bodin faces six months out after damaging a knee ligament in training.

The news concerning Maguire did not come as much of a surprise, with him having been substituted early in last Saturday's win at Oldham Athletic.

But Bodin's lay-off is a big shock, the winger suffering the injury in training on Tuesday morning.

He planted his foot down to control the ball and his knee twisted as he turned.

North End manager Alex Neil delivered the news at his pre-match press conference on Wednesday morning to preview Saturday's Championship opener against Queens Park Rangers.

Neil said: "Sean indicated to the bench at Oldham that he was feeling a tight hamstring.

"We took him off as a precaution and to be honest I didn't think too much of it.

"Because of his previous history, we sent him for a scan.

"Last season he played against Brentford with a torn hamstring and he wasn't aware of it.

"He had neural damage in his hamstring from injuries in the past and doesn't feel it as often as other people do.

"We got him scanned and it came back a lot worse than we had hoped, he has done damage to the tendon in the hamstring.

"Sean is going to be out for the best part of a couple of months."

Bodin has been very unlucky, his ACL injury caused by a twist rather than any form of contact.

The January signing from Bristol Rovers had been due to sit out the QPR game through suspension but now won't be available until much later in the season.

Neil said: "Billy's foot got stuck in the turf and he popped his knee, he's going to be out for the best part of six months.

"Billy has had an exceptional pre-season, the goal he scored against West Ham the other week was as good as you will see at Deepdale for a long time.

"It is a tough one to take, these injuries are a huge blow for the lads and for us."