The game at Deepdale is followed by a hectic Christmas programme that will see Town take on Leicester, Watford, Doncaster, Coventry and Nottingham Forest in the space of two weeks.
"Every game is important obviously," Keane told the club's official website. "We are going into a mad period now and it's a crucial period as well.
"We have the games over Christmas and then some big cup games in January.
"Fingers crossed we get some of our senior players back from injury and have a clean bill of health for a while.
"We're certainly going to need the squad over the next few weeks. Players are going to get minutes on the pitch because the games are going to come thick and fast."
Source: PA
Source: PA