Loanees Mike Pollitt and Matthew Bates will make their Town debuts when the Blues take on Norwich at Portman Road on Sunday (KO 11.30am, Sky Sports One). Boss Jim Magilton could have midfielder Owen Garvan available for the first time this season.

New loan keeper Pollitt comes into the side in place of Shane Supple who is still struggling with his groin strain. Lewis Price is a few weeks away from a return to action due to the broken rib he suffered at Southend last month. Czech keeper Jaroslav Drobný is likely to be on the bench.

England U19 international Bates will come into the back four and could partner Jason De Vos in his preferred central defensive role with Alex Bruce moving to right-back and former derby hero Fabian Wilnis dropping to substitute. Alternatively, Bates could play on the right with Bruce in the middle, although the Middlesbrough man is more comfortable in a central role. Dan Harding will continue on the left.

Another loanee, Simon Walton, will replace Mark Noble in the centre of midfield. Walton is available again after a one-match ban, while Noble returned to West Ham at the end of his loan spell earlier in the week. Sylvain Legwinski, Gary Roberts and Matt Richards are likely to make up the rest of the midfield with the latter pair swapping flanks at various stages.

Garvan's recovery from post-viral syndrome has so far gone smoothly and the Irishman will have impressed the watching Magilton as he starred in the reserves' 1-0 victory at Northampton on Wednesday. The 18-year-old missed training with a toe injury on Friday and will be assessed on Saturday, but in any case is only likely to be named amongst the substitutes.

Gavin Williams is continuing his recovery from his groin operation and is pencilled in to play in the reserves this week.

Up front Alan Lee is expected to be partnered by Billy Clarke, back from a knee injury, with Town's fifth loanee Jon Macken and last year's derby goal hero Danny Haynes on the bench.

The Blues have a number of Canary connections amongst their summer recruits with Alex Bruce having been born in Norwich during his father's spell at the club. Technical coach Steve Foley spent 10 years at Carrow Road before being dismissed at the end of last season.

Boss Jim Magilton says he is looking forward to the match: "I loved playing in these derby games, they are brilliant matches and for me highly underrated.

"Derby days tend to be more about the supporters than anything else and bragging rights, so we know as players and as a manger how important it is to them.

"Hopefully the game will go off without any incident as usual because the supporters have always been brilliant and I hope it stays that way."

Norwich have signed Luke Chadwick on loan from Stoke and the former Manchester United man will make his debut in midfield. Central defender Gary Doherty is available again after a back problem, but Dion Dublin is likely to retain his place.

Norwich boss Peter Grant, formerly a coach at West Ham, says he and Magilton have settled their differences after a clash at the end of a play-off semi-final during his days with the Hammers: "I dealt with Jim a lot when Ipswich took Mark Noble on loan from West Ham and one of the first faxes I received when I got the job here was from Jim. So no, definitely no problem."

Town won the last time the two sides met, Danny Haynes handing the Canaries a home defeat with a late goal in a 2-1 win, Jimmy Juan scoring the first. The Blues have not won a Portman Road derby since the glorious 5-0 destruction in February 1998 when Alex Mathie netted a first half hat-trick and Bobby Petta claimed a brace.

The game is not yet a sell-out but no tickets will be available on the turnstiles, although home fans will be able to buy tickets from the main ticket office on the morning of the match.

Sunday's referee is Trevor Kettle from Berkshire who has shown 38 yellow and three red cards in 12 games this season. Kettle, who has a card happy and eccentric reputation, last took control of the Blues in their 1-0 defeat at Wolves in August.

Likely squad: Pollitt, Drobný, Bruce, Harding, Wilnis, Bates, De Vos, Naylor, Walton, Legwinski, Richards, Roberts, Peters, Garvan, Currie, Lee, Clarke, Haynes, Macken.

Photo: Action Images

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