John Eustace Confirms Key Absentees Ahead of Preston Clash

🚨 NEW: John Eustace Confirms Key Absentees Ahead of Preston Clash

Derby County boss John Eustace has confirmed that several players will be unavailable for selection when his side take on Preston North End this weekend.

Speaking ahead of the Championship fixture, Eustace revealed that the Rams will be forced to shuffle their squad as injuries continue to bite. While the manager stopped short of providing exact return dates, he made it clear that the absences will test the team’s depth.

“It’s a tough period for us, and unfortunately we’ll be without a few important lads for the game against Preston,” Eustace said. “It’s part of football, but it gives opportunities for others to step up and show what they can do.”

The Rams have been in encouraging form under Eustace, with new signings beginning to settle in and the squad showing resilience despite setbacks. However, facing Preston without several regular starters will undoubtedly be a challenge.

Curtis Nelson

Remains out until October after suffering a setback in his recovery from a serious knee injury he sustained last season.

As a result, he was not named on the EFL squad list, and John Eustace confirmed that this would allow him the time to recover before his return, although that will not be until January.

Explaining why he was omitted from the 25-man squad list, Eustace said: “It’s because of his injuries, nothing else,” he said

“We still want him to be part of the group going into January.

“There’s no pressure on him now to get fit sooner. He’s still on his way back from a serious knee injury, so we can now do that in the right way.

Preston, meanwhile, come into the game with confidence after their recent run of results, and will see Derby’s absentees as a chance to gain an advantage.

With promotion ambitions high and the Championship season already proving unpredictable, Eustace will be hoping his side can cope with the disruption and maintain momentum at Pride Park.

More updates on the exact players missing are expected closer to kick-off.