Preston North End manager Alex Neil has no new injury concerns after Tuesday night’s entertaining draw with Leeds United.
Josh Harrop and Billy Bodin both missed the clash with Marcelo Bielsa’s side, with the former ruled out of the clash with Blackburn Rovers, however, the Welsh winger is back in training and could return to the squad.
Club captain Tom Clarke is still absent with a knee injury and Louis Moult is ruled out for the season after undergoing an ACL operation in September.
With this being the third game in the week and with the miles covered and the energy expended on Tuesday, the North End boss could choose to make changes, with Paul Gallagher and Sean Maguire – who were on the bench on Tuesday – options to return.
German international Lewis Holtby - who made a goalscoring first start for Rovers against Huddersfield Town last weekend - is hoping to return for the derby, after missing the midweek defeat at Birmingham City with a minor knock.
Former North Ender Greg Cunningham is sadly denied a return to Deepdale after a torn anterior cruciate ligament appears to have ended his season prematurely. Fellow Irish international defender Darragh Lenihan is also a long-term absentee, with a knee injury potentially set to rule him out for around two months for Tony Mowbray’s side.
A knee injury was also the reason for Amari'i Bell's absence from the team last weekend, but he was fit enough to take a place on the bench in midweek and could compete for the left back slot with versatile skipper Elliott Bennett; a position where Rovers are lacking cover with Sam Hart nursing an injured patella.
Forwards Dominic Samuel (groin strain) and Ben Brereton (recovering from knee surgery) have spent recent weeks on the sidelines, but young striker Dan Butterworth will be looking to push for a first team place in the near future after recovering from a back injury in time to score a brace for the U23s at Southampton on Monday.
Promising defender Joe Grayson - son of former Deepdale boss Simon - will be absent for the long term after tearing his hamstring last week, while attacking midfielder Ben Gladwin hasn't featured in the first team since November 2017 following two serious knee injuries.