Ben Woodburn absence explained as Ryan Lowe drops hint over former Liverpool man

Preston North End manager Ryan Lowe expects Ben Woodburn to play a part in Saturday’s match at Queens Park Rangers.

The former Liverpool man, who is in his second season at Deepdale, has not made the last two match squads - against Norwich City and Southampton. Woodburn travelled with the team to St Mary’s, in midweek, but was not on the bench. Game time has been minimal for the Welshman this season, with 20 appearances made - but zero league starts and just 187 minutes.

He had a one-year extension triggered to his contract after the 2022/23 season - his maiden one as a North End player, in which he scored two goals in 40 outings. With senior midfield options extremely limited for Preston - Ben Whiteman, Ali McCann and Brad Potts all out, while Alan Browne and Ryan Ledson were deemed not fit enough to start against Southampton - Lowe says Woodburn will come into the thinking for QPR away.

"Yeah, he is a little bit unlucky at the moment, Woody," said Lowe. "But, there will probably be an opportunity for him on the weekend - because of the numbers and a couple of niggling injuries. Woody has been unlucky in his tenure here. I must say, I have tried to sign Woody everywhere I've been - when I was at Bury, when I was at Plymouth.

“I ended up signing him and I think he knows, and I know, he hasn't done enough - because the quality levels in training have been fantastic. We have to do right by bringing him, and young Theo (Mawene), because if there is any illness or injuries we have to cover our backs. He is available, he is fit and there could be an opportunity for him this weekend.”