NORTH End will find out on Friday just how serious Ricardo Fuller's problems with his 'good' knee are.

The Jamaican international has already been ruled out of Saturday's home game against Wimbledon, and he missed the match at Nottingham Forest.

Craig Brown has revealed that Fuller's good knee, the one not operated on last season, has swollen up several times following games over the last month.

Fuller's knee will be scrutinised by surgeons who will then let PNE know what, if any, action can be taken.

Brown said: "To his credit, he has played on, but it has got to the point where we couldn't let him go on.

"The local surgeon will look at it and tell us what is wrong and what needs doing. Until then, we don't know anything more."

Fuller was on fire until his first knee injury last November ruled him out for the rest of the season,

While Fuller has been ruled out, Richard Cresswell, who also missed last night's game, is expected to come through his hamstring injury and claim to his front berth back. But even if Cresswell is fit, Preston will still be without the strike partnership which Brown had started to praise so heavily following the two home wins last month.

One player who will be missing for certain on Saturday is keeper David Lucas.

Lucas, who has struggled to beat Jonathan Gould for a place between the sticks this season, has gone on loan to Second Division Sheffield Wednesday for a month - meaning Preston-born Andrew Lonergan will move on to the bench.

Lonergan has been named in England's under-20 squad to play the Czech Republic later this month.

There could also be change at the back - Claude Davis is fit again, and with Marlon Broomes also playing well, Chris Lucketti and Michael Jackson will have to put in top performances every time to keep their places.

North End return to Deepdale on Saturday, against bottom-of-the-pile Wimbledon, attempting to build on the previous two home wins and help recreate "Fortress Deepdale".