Preston North End injury list and return dates as Ipswich Town await Ryan Lowe’s men

Preston North End were without six first team players for Wednesday night’s trip to Leicester City, but manager Ryan Lowe will hope to see that number reduced this weekend.

Here is an overview of how the injury list at Deepdale looks, ahead of Saturday’s trip to Portman Road.

Calvin Ramsay

Issue: Recurrence of knee injury suffered last season at Liverpool

What RL said said (Sep 28): ”He is at the back stage of his rehab now. We are in discussions with Liverpool and hopefully he’ll be back with us in the next couple of weeks. We are not going to rush him back.. Once he’s at the end stage of rehab and passed all the protocols, ticked all the boxes, he’ll then be with us. I haven’t got a definite date just yet, just that we’ve had some conversations with them in the last few days and it is looking promising. I think it was the right thing that Liverpool brought him back to strengthen him up and make sure he’s right.

“I have spoken to Calvin numerous times and he can’t wait to get back going. Now, when he does come back, he’ll come back fitter and stronger than he was. I think it was probably too soon for him to come to us, because he was champing at the bit to get out and stamp his authority down. There is no disgrace in that, trying to get into a new club and perform. He is still a quality player who will definitely help us when he’s back.”

Possible return date: PNE’s boss ruled Ramsay out for six to eight weeks on August 17th. It has now been seven, so North End will hope to see the Scot making real progress ahead of Millwall at home on October 21st - the first match back after the international break.

Ched Evans

Issue: Returning from ‘serious medical condition’ - spinal cord and neck

What RL said said (Oct 3): “Ched has his scan on Friday and then sees the specialist on Monday, so we are all touching wood for that. If that comes back fine, he is ready to go. He has been joining in bit-part training and is champing at the bit.”

Possible return date: End of October

Emil Riis

Issue: Returning from Anterior Cruciate Ligament injury (knee)

What RL said said (Oct 3): ”Emil is coming through as well, which is good. He trained with the group (Monday and Tuesday). He is nowhere near for this week. But, after the international break, touch wood that the two of them will hopefully be back in contention.”

Possible return date: End of October

Andrew Hughes

Issue: Calf

What RL said said (Oct 4): ”Hughesy’s had a tight calf so we had to leave him behind and get a scan. We are waiting on the result of that.”

Possible return date: Unknown

Jordan Storey and Alan Browne

Issue: Illness

What RL said said (Oct 4): ”Browney was up all night on Monday with a bug. There’s no way he could’ve come with us (to Leicester) having had the back end of that bug. The doctor has been round to Browney’s and been round to Jordan’s. They just couldn’t travel with us. We had to leave them at home. The plan is to get them with us at some point . Depending on how they feel, they might have to be driven up separately - or together maybe - and then put in a room separately. But, we will monitor them over the next 24 hours and if they are fine they will join up with us. But, we need to make sure they are okay first.”

Possible return date: Ipswich (A) - Saturday 7 October