Preston North End head coach Paul Heckingbottom could be working around a crisis of sorts for Sunday’s FA Cup quarter-final clash with Aston Villa at Deepdale.
The Championship side are guaranteed to be without five players this weekend, as Sam Greenwood – sent off against Portsmouth in their last Championship game – and Ryan Ledson, who has picked up two FA Cup yellow cards, are both suspended.
Meanwhile, on-loan Aston Villa defender Kaine Kesler-Hayden is unable to face his parent club, while Ryan Porteous is also ineligible, having represented Watford in the earlier rounds of the competition.
In terms of injuries, Jack Whatmough is not expected to play again this season due to a calf problem, while Ali McCann (calf), Brad Potts (hamstring) and Milutin Osmajic (hip) are touch-and-go, and the latter has also been charged by the FA following an accusation of racism against Burnley’s Hannibal Mejbri.
Heckingbottom is therefore down to the bare bones in defence in particular, so he will likely have no choice but to start the seldom-seen Patrick Bauer, who has played just 66 minutes all season long.
In brighter news, Jordan Storey has recovered from a knock and should step in for Kesler-Hayden at right-back, while Freddie Woodman, Lewis Gibson, Liam Lindsay and Robbie Brady will complete the back five.
Midfield absentees should lead to Heckingbottom starting Ben Whiteman and Mads Frokjaer-Jensen behind Stefan Thordarson, while Will Keane and Emil Riis will form a two-man strikeforce if Osmajic is not involved.
Preston North End possible starting lineup:
Woodman; Storey, Gibson, Lindsay, Bauer, Brady; Whiteman, Frokjaer-Jensen; Thordarson; Keane, Riis
> Click here to see how Aston Villa could line up for the quarter-final
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