Check all your trains before you go, in addition to the Lime Street closure Northern have now cancelled lots of trains because they don't have enough drivers for their new timetable.
I believe reading another forum Northern do have enough drivers, it's that they aren't trained with route knowledge.
Transpennine Express have been suffering delays, trains starting/terminating short, & cancellations since the new timetable as well, but that's more to do with tight timetable & 6tph over the core, & bottlenecks because of the new Ordsall Curve.
Best way to Preston is still via Wigan as you have Virgin Trains if Northern are cut short.
Just to add if you do go via Ormskirk, make sure your train is running otherwise you'll have a hour or more to wait for the next one.