Jim Magilton is Town's only injury worry ahead of Saturday's home clash against Preston North End. The midfielder has a calf problem but Joe Royle is still hoping to include the Northern Irishman in his side.

Magilton didn't train today and Royle says that if there is any doubt regarding his fitness he won't risk a player he says has been very important to his side: “He's been very influential since I've been here. Looking at the video of our ‘nearly goals' last week, he was behind most of them.”

Chris Makin was reported to have had a back problem earlier today, however he trained this morning and will be OK to resume his place in the side after missing the last two games through suspension.

John McGreal continues his progress as he recovers from knee ligament damage. Royle says his comeback has reached a key stage: “When you get to the last bit with a knee injury it is the hardest. You start block-tackling and kicking a ball, things like that.”

Royle will add Martijn Reuser to his squad after the Dutchman stayed behind last week to work on his fitness as Town travelled to Burnley. The Blues' boss says Reuser is in need of games to get himself fit: “He did play very well in the reserves on Monday, as did Bam Bam at centre-half I'm led to believe. Martijn is in need of match practice as he's only played half a dozen games this season.

“I'm aware of his cult status and I could hear the fans chanting for him which is nice. It's important for fans to have their heroes, but equally the team's all-important.

Preston have a number of injuries and suspensions which makes it difficult for the Town manager to assess his opposition. Out are Chris Lucketti, Graham Alexander, Paul McKenna, Mark Rankine and Dickson Etuhu, all suspended while Ricardo Fuller, Mark Wright, Andrew Lonergan and Michael Keane are injured. Richard Cresswell is a doubt but on the plus side for the visitors, Jonathan Gould and Simon Lynch have both been brought in from Celtic.

Royle is aware of the Trotters' current plight: “They've had a bad injury to Ricardo Fuller, they lost Sean Gregan at the start of the season and now they've got five suspensions.

“It's hard times for them at the moment and they are suffering a bit from expectations. They've been one of the sides who have been up there for a couple of years and now it's not quite happening for them. We've just got to make sure the revival doesn't start at our place.

“It's a dangerous game because they can play, but as I've said before, I'd back us against anybody. I think we're improving by the day.”

“At Burnley last week we had seven clear chances in the second half. But as long as we're making them that's important. Young Darren missed some chances last week when he's put away a harder one the previous week. I know it's an old cliché in football but there's nothing worse for a striker than not having an attempt in 90 minutes. At least he's getting there and he's coming on.”

Preston manager Craig Brown spent time with Royle in Japan at the World Cup last summer. The Town boss feels that former manager David Moyes was always going to prove a difficult act to follow at Deepdale: “It was a hard job to take on and Craig was very brave. The appeal for him was that there was a squad there which had done well in the division and great amenities and a great stadium.”

Royle says he is quite happy with where Town are, four points off the play-offs, considering where they were when he took over. A few weeks ago he said that home form would dictate Town's fate and this still appears to be the case: “We've got all the sides above us to come here as yet. I'm quite happy with us away from home, the way that we play sometimes it's easier for us away from home. When sides have come here and shut-up shop it's been hard for us at times.”

Likely squad: Abidallah, Ambrose, Armstrong, D Bent, M Bent, Couñago, Gaardsøe, Holland, Hreidarsson, Magilton, Marshall, T Miller, Naylor, Pullen, Reuser, Richards, Wilnis, Wright.

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