'Being awkward' - Preston manager confirms Aston Villa truth after FA Cup blow

Preston North End will be without their first-choice right-back against Aston Villa

Preston North End manager Paul Heckingbottom has confirmed that Kaine Kesler-Hayden is unable to play against his parent club this afternoon due to FA rules, rather than Aston Villa "being awkward".

The right-back joined Preston on loan for the season last summer and has impressed at Deepdale.

He has made 36 Championship appearances this term, starting 32 times and recording three assists in what is his fifth loan spell away from Villa Park.

However, Kesler-Hayden will be unavailable for today's FA Cup semi-final against Villa—a situation Heckingbottom admits is frustrating, as he is unable to select one of his first-choice defenders.

“Yeah, listen, it's one of those unfortunate things," the manager said. "It's an FA rule; not Villa being awkward and not allowing him to play.

"I've experienced this before, when we had Tommy Doyle and James McAtee on loan from Manchester City and we met them in the semis.

“Tommy had just scored the winner in the quarter-final and then couldn't play in the semis. Kaine's in a similar situation... he's played in all the rounds, performed really well for us, and it would have been a fantastic game for him.

“Villa would have got good, first-hand eyes on him and how he's performing now, because he's done really, really well for us.

"So, yeah, I think everyone's disappointed with that, but we know the rule and that's it... no one being awkward.”

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