Preston North End face a tough challenge this weekend as they prepare to take on Leicester City in the Championship. Manager Paul Heckingbottom has confirmed that key midfielder Mads Frokjaer-Jensen will be unavailable for the highly anticipated match.
The Danish international picked up an injury during their midweek Carabao Cup tie against Barrow and was forced to leave the field. While initial assessments suggested the injury wasn't severe, subsequent scans have ruled him out of contention for this week's crucial fixture.
Heckingbottom expressed his disappointment, stating to BBC Radio Lancashire, "Mads was pretty adamant that he didn't think it was a significant one at the time and the scans showed that but he won't be fit for this week."
The injury to Frokjaer-Jensen compounds Preston's existing injury woes. The manager has been vocal about the club's struggles with player fitness, even criticising Daniel Jebbison's personal trainer after the Canadian forward sustained an ankle injury during a private training session.
Adding to Heckingbottom's concerns, right-back Brad Potts remains sidelined with a hamstring problem, while forward Will Keane and midfielder Robbie Brady are battling calf issues. This leaves Preston with a depleted squad as they face a formidable Leicester City side.
Heckingbottom acknowledged the challenges, stating, "Age and previous injury history is the biggest predictor of injuries. Jebbo is a freaky one, Mads was in a game so you get that, [Liam Lindsay's is] contact but it ends up being illness keeping him out. So there's only those three [Potts, Keane and Brady] which I'd say we need to do better at."
Preston fans will be hoping for a swift recovery for their injured players as they look to navigate this difficult period and secure valuable points in the Championship.