Preston manager Alex Neil will be without Daniel Johnson for his side’s Sky Bet Championship clash with Stoke on Saturday.

The Jamaican has missed the last two matches with a groin problem and Neil expects Saturday’s clash to come too soon for him.

Paul Huntington is set to return to the squad, however, after missing his side’s Carabao Cup defeat to Brighton after being booked in the two previous rounds of the competition.

Louis Moult and Josh Earl are expected to remain unavailable having also missed the game against Brighton.

Stoke manager Michael O’Neill has some difficult selection issues ahead of his side’s trip to Deepdale.

O’Neill made eight changes for his team’s Carabao Cup win over Gillingham and said everyone who played had put themselves into contention for the game on Saturday.

In a boost for the Stoke boss, Thibaud Verlinden continues to build up his fitness from an anterior cruciate ligament injury and made his first appearance for the under-23s on Monday.

However, the manager was unable to put a timeframe on Joe Allen’s return after he ruptured an Achilles tendon in the last match before lockdown.