Southampton confirms injury boost ahead of Preston North End tie as five key players are now ruled out

Preston North End might face the absence of up to five key first-team players when they welcome Southampton on Wednesday evening.

The Lilywhites are currently occupying the fourth position in the Championship standings, having secured victories in six of their initial seven matches. However, their recent form is concerning, as they have gone without a win in five consecutive games, including significant losses to West Brom and Leicester City.

In their most recent outing, Ryan Lowe’s team played to a 1-1 draw against Millwall at Deepdale. Now, they confront a more challenging task with the arrival of Southampton, who are themselves on an unbeaten streak of four matches and are trailing closely behind Preston in fifth place.

Adding to their difficulties is a growing list of injured players. This list includes Ali McCann, a midfielder from Northern Ireland, and Jack Whatmough, an English defender, both of whom will be unavailable to play against Southampton. McCann had to withdraw from international duty due to a calf injury, while Whatmough is sidelined with a hamstring issue.

Experienced Welsh center-back Andrew Hughes has been absent for the past three matches due to a calf problem. However, he is nearing a return after starting in eight of Preston’s first nine games of the season.

On another note, Danish forward Emil Riis is facing setbacks in his recovery from a knee injury and is consulting with specialists. Meanwhile, Liverpool loanee Calvin Ramsay is expected to return to training soon after recovering from a knee injury of his own. It’s likely that he will participate in a reserve game before making his debut for Preston.

Ched Evans, who made his long-awaited return from injury during last weekend’s draw with Millwall, is one player who will be available for Lowe’s side

Evans, 34, uncovered a significant physical problem after a match against Rotherham United in March, saying he had experienced blackouts on the pitch and lost feeling in his arms over the previous two years.

Evans has subsequently undergone successful spinal surgery and, following extensive rehabilitation at the training site, returned to duty as a substitute last weekend, and will be expecting to start against Southampton on Wednesday night.