Preston North End midfielder Paul Coutts will go into hospital on Monday for surgery on hip and groin injuries.

Darren Ferguson revealed the news after Saturday's 1-1 draw at Coventry City, an operation which could keep the Scotsman out of action for up to three months.

Ferguson said: "There are a couple of players really struggling, Coutts has an operation on Monday, he's got a real problem with his groin, Keith Treacy's groin was in real pain at half-time but we kept with him. I knew that there was a couple struggling but we got through it and that's what you want to see as a manager.

"Paul's got a problem with his hip so he will be out for a good three months, he'll be out for a while because he has been carrying it. But fair credit to the lad, he's dug in and he's got through it and I have to say the last three or four games he has not performed as well as he normally does. I'm over-critical of the boy because I know how good he can be, it's definitely affected him but he's just got on with it and that's the attitude you need.

"We've seen the specialist last week and he said he wouldn't be able to do it until Monday and we weren't going to do him any harm by playing him today. We will miss him next week and for the last two games but Adam Barton will be back so we will probably be like-for-like there."