Colclough ruled out with groin injury

Crewe Alexandra will be without the injured pair of Harry Davis and Mathias Pogba for the trip to Preston North End. Both senior players are ruled out with knee injuries, although defender Harry Davis is just a few weeks off a return to training. Pogba is still on schedule to be back before his projected date of late December.

Crewe are also without promising youngster Ryan Colclough, who has been struggling with a groin problem of late and that injury forced him to be withdrawn against Birmingham City in a recent Under-21 fixture.

Centre-half George Ray is also away on International duty with the Wales Under-21s and will be unavailable for this particular fixture.