Preston North End get huge surprise boost in starting XI vs Wrexham
Preston face Wrexham in the Championship on Saturday.
Graham Alexander has been boosted by the unexpected return of Johnny Kenny to the Preston North End starting XI for Saturday’s match at Wrexham.
It’s still early days in the season but the clash at the Racecourse already feels like a significant game in the relegation race, with both sides in desperate need of a victory.
Both sides lost in mid-week, with North End suffering a 4-0 hammering at the hands of Birmingham City and Wrexham losing 2-1 at home to West Brom, piling the pressure on manager Phil Parkinson.
To make matters worse, Alexander lost Liam Gibbs to injury and Stanley Mills to a red card at St. Andrew’s, adding to his list of absentees which also includes Caleb Wiley, Harry Clarke and Ali McCann.
However, there’s good news on Saturday as Kenny has returned to the starting XI after missing the last two games.
Alexander said on Wednesday that Kenny had not yet returned to training and indicated Saturday would come too soon for the Irishman, even if he did get back on the grass on Friday.
However, the striker is leading the line in Wales, with Alexander appearing to be sticking with the 3-4-3 formation.
Brad Potts has also returned to the squad on the bench.
There is bad news, though, as Lewis Gibson is not involved after returning off the bench on Tuesday, and neither is Wiley despite returning to training on Wednesday.
Alexander has made two more changes, with Liam Lindsay and Andrija Vukcevic coming in for Stanley Mills and Thierry Small.
The Preston XI reads: Iversen; Storey, Lindsay, Hughes; Offiah, Thompson, Leroy, Vukcevic; Lang, Devine; Kenny.
The Preston substitute bench is: Nicholls, Valentin, Erabi, Small, Moran, Nolan, Irwin, Burgzorg, Potts.
Wrexham have a host of injuries themselves with seven players unavailable, but former Preston captain Ben Whiteman has started. Here’s their starting XI: Patterson; Hyam, Worral, Doyle; Imray Jr, Whiteman, M. James, Ekomie; O’Hare, Smith, K. Moore.
And their bench: Ward, Vyner, A. James, Kabore, Longman, Dobson, O’Brien, Rathbone, Cadamarteri.
Simon Hooper is the referee for today’s game, with kick-off at 3pm.