Preston North End manager Alex Neil’s squad was looking thin in the midfield areas after the weekend’s win over Charlton Athletic.
Despite the return of Daniel Johnson after six weeks on the sidelines, the PNE boss was without both Ben Pearson, Paul Gallagher and Tom Bayliss for the clash with Lee Bowyer’s Addicks.
Pearson missed the game through illness and will need a late check to see if he is fit to travel to Oakwell, whilst Gallagher was missing with a groin problem that he has been suffering with for a few weeks.
Bayliss suffered an ankle injury in a behind closed doors game with Accrington Stanley last week and both he and Billy Bodin (also ankle), will be out for a number of weeks.
They will rehabilitate along with long term casualty Louis Moult (ACL), who continues to work hard after his operation back in September 2019.
For Tuesday’s hosts, Gerhard Struber has been without forward Cauley Woodrow since the turn of the year and prior to the weekend’s defeat at Bristol City, he had not returned to training and is expected to miss the game at Oakwell.
At Ashton Gate, Kenny Dougall came in for the injured Bambo Diaby, with Aapo Halme dropping back to centre back while goalkeeper Brad Collins replaced the ill Sami Radlinger between the sticks for the Tykes.
There was another blow for the Reds in the warm-up as Clarke Oduor sustained an injury and was replaced by Ben Williams with Romal Palmer moving onto the bench. Oduor had injured an ankle in training, but despite taking painkillers, pulled up in the warm-up, but his German boss hopes he will be fit for the clash with North End.