Express & Star

West Brom v Preston: Ryan Lowe won’t be doing Albion any final-day favours

Preston boss Ryan Lowe is in no mood to do play-off chasing Albion any favours in tomorrow’s Championship finale at The Hawthorns.

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Tenth-placed North End check into the Black Country with just pride to play for as the curtain draws on the regular campaign, but Carlos Corberan’s men need a point to seal a play-off place.

Preston have endured a miserable few weeks with four defeats on the spin that meant their own top-six aspirations bit the dust. Lowe’s men were still in contention, albeit as outsiders, until a couple of games ago.

The visitors have won just once in seven games but as minds might turn to summer holidays, Lowe is in no mood to down tools or rotate his troops for fringe players.

“Not really, no,” Lowe said when asked about offering minutes around to other players. “We have got to try to pick the best team, we feel can win. Again, another tough encounter.

“West Brom need to win to get into the play-offs; Hull are champing at the bit to get in there.

“So, we are not looking to do anyone any favours other than ourselves, unfortunately.”

This sequence of results has seen Preston lose to Norwich, Southampton QPR and, on Monday night, champions Leicester. There was also a defeat to relegation-threatened Blues on April 1. “We will go there with the strongest team we possibly can,” the manager added.

“Hindsight is a wonderful thing isn’t it? But, if you’d have got more points on the board, then who knows?

“You might’ve got one or two players more minutes and given them whatever it may be.”

PNE trio Ali McCann (thigh), Brad Potts (hamstring) and Ben Whiteman (ankle) are all sidelined.