There are still plenty of games remaining for Preston to make a great escape, although Phil Brown’s side realistically need to win at least eight of their remaining eleven Championship games to stand any chance of avoiding relegation.
Considering that North End have won just five matches this season, the prospect is a remote one although Brown is remaining positive even though he’s probably planning the League One campaign already.
Reading’s FA Cup participation at the weekend means that the Lancashire side should be well rested for this match at Glanford Park, with Ricardo Gardner having arrived at Deepdale on loan from Bolton.
Brown said about the player’s debut against Leeds: “He only met his team-mates at 6.15pm but he wore his short with pride, as he always has done at Bolton Wanderers for 13 years.
“If Ricky gets fitter and brings that quality he has brought to the Premier League, we will have a very good player.”
Scunthorpe have given themselves half a chance of staying up after an improvement in recent results, although they have only won four matches at home this season and the Iron still sit four points behind Crystal Palace after Saturday’s 3-0 thumping at home to Leicester.
Ben Gordon picked up an injury at half-time in the match, with manager Ian Baraclough telling the official site: ‘Ben’s picked up a hamstring injury and it’s in the same area as the one had up at Kilmarnock.
‘It’s too early to assess it at this stage however.’