Injury crisis deepening at Deepdale published at 12:07 GMT
Andy Bayes
BBC Radio Lancashire Sport Editor
Image source, Getty ImagesPaul Heckingbottom has pointed to the gruelling Championship schedule as the reason for his side's growing injury list
Preston North End are likely to find out on Monday how long midfielder Ali McCann will be out of action for after breaking his arm in last Tuesday's home defeat by Birmingham City.
McCann sat out North End's 3-2 victory over Sheffield United on Friday, where Paul Heckingbottom named eight substitutes instead of nine due to a lengthy injury list.
Heckingbottom told BBC Radio Lancashire on McCann: "He's broken his arm, he did it on Tuesday night. He had an x-ray, it was really sore. He's got his arm in a sling. He's seeing a specialist on Monday."
North End are already missing Brad Potts, Will Keane, Jordan Thompson and Robbie Brady.
The quartet have not featured at all this season due to injury while Pol Valentin has been another absentee in recent weeks and the Lilywhites also picked up two more injury issues against the Blades in defenders Lewis Gibson and Andrija Vukcevic .
Both sustained muscular injuries and will be assessed before Saturday's visit to Southampton.
The North End boss feels that the Championship schedule is responsible.
"We want tackles in the game but everything is a foul now and everything is player safety yet they'll flog you to death with three games in six days," he said.
"That's the frustrating thing with the powers that be which is nonsense when they're saying 'we don't want tackles because of players injuries.'
"It's not just us, you look at all the other clubs and that is a direct consequence of the schedule."


















