Scunthorpe vs Preston North End preview - United Iron sweating on duo

Scunthorpe pair Sam Slocombe and Niall Canavan are both injury doubts for the club's opening home league game of the season against Preston.

Goalkeeper Slocombe and centre-half Canavan both sustained shoulder injuries in the midweek Capital One Cup win at Blackburn and face late fitness tests.

Canavan's absence would give boss Russ Wilcox a defensive headache as another centre-half, David Mirfin, remains sidelined following minor knee surgery in pre-season.

Striker Deon Burton (knee) is also doubtful after missing out in midweek, while midfielder David Syers has been ruled out for the rest of the season due to knee ligament damage.

Preston's top scorer last season, Joe Garner, missed the Capital One Cup win over Rochdale in midweek, and he is expected to return to the Lilywhites' line-up.

Manager Simon Grayson said he was rested as a precaution and he expected the former Scunthorpe forward to train ahead of the Glanford Park clash at the weekend.

Kyel Reid and Lee Holmes will not feature, as summer arrival Reid is still on the road to recovery from an anterior cruciate ligament injury and Holmes has a chest problem.

New forward Jordan Hugill, who signed from Port Vale recently, came off the bench for the fina 10 minutes of the Rochdale clash and he could have increased involvement for North End.