Oldham Athletic AFC vs Preston North End preview - Dean is Holden the fort at Latics

Oldham begin life without Lee Johnson at SportsDirect.com Park on Saturday, with fellow play-off chasing outfit Preston the visitors.

Johnson and assistant Tommy Wright this week departed for Barnsley, leaving first-team coach Dean Holden and club captain Adam Lockwood in charge of first-team affairs.

They will be without both Joseph Mills and one of his defensive colleagues, George Elokobi, with respective hamstring strains picked up in last weekend's defeat to Leyton Orient.

Amari Morgan-Smith remains sidelined by the same problem but Conor Wilkinson is back training following his own hamstring ailment and Mike Jones should return after missing out at Orient through illness.

Promotion-chasing Preston have doubts over Tom Clarke.

The defender was forced off in the midweek win over Walsall following a nasty clash of heads and manager Simon Grayson has said he will follow the advice of his medical staff before making a final decision on Clarke.

That will be the only player Grayson is sweating on now that both Andy Little (groin) and Jermaine Beckford (ear infection) are back in full training with their North End team-mates.

Both Jordan Hugill, who is just back from a long-term knee injury, and goalkeeper Jamie Jones were allowed to leave on loan on Thursday.