Liverpool man in line for full Preston North End debut as stalwart suspended for QPR

Calvin Ramsay made his Preston North End debut on Tuesday night and a first start now looks in store for the Liverpool loan man.

Signed early in the summer transfer window, Ramsay suffered another knee injury during pre-season and spent the first three months of the campaign sidelined. He returned to the Reds for rehabilitation, but is now back in the fold for North End and played 45 minutes in the midweek defeat to Middlesbrough.

Ramsay has been fit for most of the month, but it has been about PNE getting the former Aberdeen man up to match speed. And, with first team regular Brad Potts suspended for Queens Park Rangers' visit to Deepdale on Friday, Ramsay is the leading contender to take the number 44's place. Potts has collected his five yellow cards, before the 19 game cut-off point.

Despite the dreadful result and performance, Lowe saw Ramsay's involvement as the main positive in Middlesbrough. He moved quickly to bring the Scottish defender through the door and hopes Ramsay can play an important role for Preston.

"He is the positive, yeah," said Lowe at the Riverside. "I just said to him in there: 'well done'. Again, second half there were some positive moments because they played, got on the ball and got into some areas. We didn't threaten the goal enough, of course.

"We had a lot of possession, which is nice against a Middlesbrough team who carry a lot of possession. But yeah, Calvin now, he has obviously been champing at the bit. We've had to build him up and it's a big positive that he played 45 minutes."