Preston North End loan star Josh Bowler has been warned he has work to do to find full fitness ahead of Wednesday’s home game with the Sunderland.
The Nottingham Forest winger joined North End on a season-long loan deal during the summer transfer window and the Deepdale club have an option to convert the move into a permanent switch next summer. After making his debut in a 1-1 draw at Middlesbrough in September, Bowler was handed starts in a goalless home draw with Blackburn Rovers and 3-1 defeat at Millwall over the following fortnight.
However, the former Everton academy player returned to the bench and was an unused substitute for four consecutive Championship fixtures before picking up a knock that kept him out of a 3-3 draw at Plymouth Argyle last week. Bowler returned to contention last week and played for over an hour of the Carabao Cup defeat against Premier League giants Arsenal before he came off the bench midway through the second-half as North End suffered a home loss against Championship rivals Bristol City on Saturday afternoon.
Bowler will now hope to push for what would be only his third league start of the season when Championship leaders Sunderland visit visit Deepdale on Wednesday night – and North End assistant manager Stuart McCall has admitted a cautious approach may need to be taken as the on-loan winger continues to work back towards full fitness.
He told the Lancashire Evening Telegraph: “It’s unfortunate for Josh, because the last couple of weeks have been a bit stop-start. He’s had a couple of little niggly things, where he’s not been able to train flat out. We need to sort of get his fitness levels up, if you like. I think he showed glimpses the other night (against Arsenal). With the shape of the team we’ve gone to – playing wing-backs – obviously Kess (Kaine Kessler-Hayden), Robbie (Brady) and Pottsy (Brad Potts) have been doing really well in those positions.
“But, we can play a lob-sided one – where we play a natural winger on one side and a winger on the other. So, it can change, but I think we just need to build him day-by-day in his training – because he has probably missed a lot of football. And, he missed a couple of bounce games we had, because of a couple of niggly things, unfortunately. But, he’s still lively and trained really well.”
North End will be without former Manchester United youngster Will Keane as he continues his comeback from a hamstring injury and veteran winger Robbie Brady is set for a spell on the sidelines after he damaged ankle ligaments. Patrick Bauer is out with an elbow injury and a suspension means Milutin Osmajic will not return until after the international break.
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