Wigan Athletic v Preston North End team news: Jamie Thomas starts and another trialist on the bench

Lilywhites head coach Frankie McAvoy handed a start to Jamie Thomas who has been training with the squad this week.

McAvoy switched to a back four after in the main using a 3-5-2 since taking over.

Sepp van den Berg got a start in the centre of defence with Patrick Bauer, with Joe Rafferty at right-back and Josh Earl on the left.

Scott Sinclair was et to partner Sean Maguire up front, Thomas playing behind them in a midfield which also included Alan Browne, Josh Harrop and Tom Bayliss.

There was another trialist among the substitutes - believed to be former PNE youth team player Tyler Williams - it being a very young bench in terms of the outfield players.

Second-year scholars Harry Nevin, Lewis Leigh and Mickey O'Neill were subs, so too first-year scholar Josh Seary.

Wigan included former PNE loanee Will Keane in their starting XI, while ex-keeper Jamie Jones was on the hosts' bench.

Wigan: Amos, Darikwa, Naylor, Whatmough, Robinson, Long, Trialist, Power, Humphrys, Keane, Wyke. Subs: Carragher, Trialist, Smith, McHugh, Massey, Aasgaard, Lang, Lloyd, Costello, Jones.

PNE: Hudson, Rafferty, van den Berg, Bauer, Earl, Browne, Bayliss, Harrop, Thomas, SInlair, Maguire. Subs: Leigh, O'Neill, Walker, Williams, Seary, Nevin, Rodwell-Grant, Ripley.

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