Preston North End team for Bristol City predicted as first start of season possible

Preston North End will not have Jordan Storey available for tonight’s trip to Bristol City in the Championship.

The Lilywhites’ defender picked up his fifth booking of the campaign at Carrow Road last time out and so will have to sit out of the midweek clash at Ashton Gate. His unavailability comes on top of the injury blow to on-loan striker Troy Parrott, who is going to be out with a hamstring issue until the festive period.

PNE boss Ryan Lowe also has a group sickness bug to assess, with several players having battled through illness to play against Norwich. Brad Potts had to be withdrawn from the squad during the warm-up, meaning Bambo Diaby was a late addition to North End’s 18 in Norfolk.

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And the Senegalese may well find himself starting against the Robins. In the absence of Storey, he is the leading candidate to fill the right centre-back slot. Patrick Bauer is another option, though Lowe does prefer to use him in the middle of his back three. Andrew Hughes is also waiting to return to the side, but playing him with Liam Lindsay and ex-Robin Greg Cunningham would mean having three left-footers in the heart of PNE’s defence.

Alan Browne and Alvaro Fernandez look set to go again out wide, unless Potts is back to full health and Lowe sees it fit to hand him a start. Ben Whiteman, Freddie Woodman and Ali McCann were three other players mentioned as feeling under the weather against Norwich, so Lowe will have to assess those. If fine, the trio should retain their places for sure.

Sean Maguire was brought off as a precaution at half-time on Saturday, but with Parrott out for the ‘foreseeable’ Lowe really needs the Irishman to be available for this one. If Maguire isn’t fit, Lowe could well revert to a 3-4-2-1 shape with Ben Woodburn and Daniel Johnson contenders to start in number 10 roles. Robbie Brady is another player who’ll be monitored, after finishing the Norwich game with a bruised hip.

Meanwhile, Bristol City have some issues of their own. Kal Naismith and Matty James sidelined due to respective calf and groin injuries. One player who will be back, though, is midfielder Joe Williams. He has served his one-match suspension – the same which Storey will serve – and is in contention again. Summer signing Kane Wilson remains unavailable.

Predicted PNE XI: Freddie Woodman; Bambo Diaby, Liam Lindsay, Andrew Hughes; Alan Browne, Ali McCann, Ben Whiteman, Ben Woodburn, Alvaro Fernandez; Sean Maguire, Emil Riis

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