PNE could have the striker back for Watford’s visit to Deepdale on Saturday
Preston North End manager Ryan Lowe expects to welcome Milutin Osmajic and Calvin Ramsay back into his squad on Saturday.
The Lilywhites host Watford after picking up four points from their last two away games, which could be boosted by the return of both players. Osmajic has missed the previous three matches with a groin issue, while Ramsay was absent at Norwich and Huddersfield due to COVID.
“He’s back now,” said Lowe on Osmajic. “He’s training today and just missed out on Tuesday because he actually had a couple of days with tonsillitis, which was a bit of a bummer for all of us and he was disappointed. In terms of now, he’s training today and tomorrow and if he gets through the next two days, he will be available for selection.
“Calvin is back as well. He’s trained with the group. He had a terrible, chesty cough and wasn’t feeling great. But he’s had a couple of days of training with the group. There are no other injuries apart from Emil, but he is fit and training, so there’s nobody in the physio department as we speak, which is a good sign.”
As for long-term absentee Emil Riis, who hasn’t kicked a ball this year after injuring his knee at Stoke City in January, the Dane feels ready. But North End’s boss and player are being held back for the time being. Lowe said Riis would ‘definitely’ be back for either Watford or Swansea, but the former has now been ruled out.
“If you asked Emil, he’d say he’s ready but I’m governed by the fitness department. He is training with us now, full-time. There’s a Central League game on the 19th, I think, so he will probably play some minutes in that. And then we will take it from there. He is ready to go, but when you’ve been out for that long with a serious injury, you can’t just thrust him back in.
“He is desperate to get back playing and looking sharper and stronger. Saturday will come too soon, although he’d have loved to play. We don’t want him to go in and pull a hamstring or calf when he opens up. You know what he’s like—a greyhound—and he’s faster and stronger now. I don’t want to say this too much, son, but he looks unplayable at times with his strength and power. When the time is right, he will go back in.”
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