Preston North End starting XI confirmed for Cardiff City Championship clash

Andrew Hughes is the only player who misses out, having come off last week with a shoulder injury, Greg Cunningham comes in to replace the boyhood Cardiff fan on the left side of the defence.

The backline that has kept five straight clean sheets remains otherwise unchanged, with Freddie Woodman, Jordan Storey and Liam Lindsay keeping their place.

Lowe is continuing with the 3-4-2-1 system, with Brad Potts and Robbie Brady the two wing backs – the latter rested in midweek for the game against Wolves that finished 2-1 to the Premier League outfit.

Ryan Ledson and Ben Whiteman will have the job of fortifying the midfield, behind Daniel Johnson and Alan Browne.

Their jobs will be to support Tory Parrott as much as possible, as he again leads the line for PNE.

There is a place on the bench for Jacob Slater, who keeps on impressing Lowe in training and has now made two first team appearances.

PNE Starting XI: Woodman, Storey, Lindsay, Cunningham, Potts, Whiteman, Ledson, Brady, Browne, Johnson, Parrott.

PNE subs: Cornell, Bauer, Slater, Woodburn, McCann, Riis, Evans.

Cardiff City Starting XI: Allsop, Romeo, Ng, Kipre, O’Dowda, Wintle, Ralls, Sawyer, Philogene, Colwill, Watter.

Cardiff City subs: Alnwick, Simpson, Nkounkou, Rinomhota, Whyte, Ojo, Harris.