PRESTON defender Andrew Hughes says comeback king Emil Riis has been a major factor in the Lilywhites’ recent resurgence.
Riis, 25, ruptured his anterior cruciate ligament in Preston’s first game of 2023 and was out of action for almost a year.
The Danish striker returned to the squad at the end of December and scored his first goal for 469 days in a 2-0 victory over Cardiff at the start of last month.
Now, the shackles are off. Ahead of the weekend’s fixtures, Riis had scored four times in as many games, coinciding with a run of four wins from five matches that has thrust Preston right back into the mix for a playoff spot.
“Emil’s been massive since coming back,” says Hughes. “He’s absolutely hit the ground running and it’s no coincidence that our form has picked up with him in the team.
“He just gives us something different. His running power is second to none. He’s so powerful and direct - it’s like nothing I’ve seen before.
“He’s got a good footballing brain and, most importantly, he knows where the back of the net is. When he gets a chance, more often than not he puts it away. That’s massive for us.”
Hughes himself suffered an ACL rupture whilst playing for Newport in 2015 and says he is in awe of the way Riis has so swiftly returned to the sort of form that saw him score 20 goals in the 2021-22 campaign.
“I can tell you now that I didn’t come back the way he has for us,” adds the 31-year-old, who has made over 200 appearances since joining the Lilywhites from Peterborough in 2018 and will be staying until at least the summer of 2025 after the club recently exercised a year’s option in his contract.
“You’re not playing for however many months, you’re rehabbing, and it can feel like forever trying to get back to fitness. Even then, you’re always a little bit conscious in the back of your mind about twisting and turning or putting your knee in certain positions.
“There’s been none of that with Emil.
