New signing Moritz Volz is set to make his debut for the Blues as Town travel to Watford for their first live Sky game of the season (KO 5.20pm, Sky Sports One). Volz completed his season-long loan move to Portman Road on Thursday.

Volz, who will come into the side at right-back, says he would ultimately like to join the Blues on a longer term basis: "There is every chance that the deal can be made permanent and this would improve if Ipswich were to gain promotion to the top flight.

"With their facilities and their support Ipswich have enough to become a Premier League club and this move for me was basically straightforward.

"I have been in the town since Monday after Ipswich and Fulham agreed I could move and it was just a case of sorting out one or two things. There are aspects of every transfer or loan that have to be fully covered before they are completed.

"Ideally I would have liked to have stayed in the Premier League but a new manager came in at Fulham and my first team chances were limited.

"I felt I had to make a step and Ipswich came in. The manager told me how ambitious the club is and what the goals are and I'm happy to be here.

"For now my focus is on helping Ipswich win promotion to the Premier League."

Aside from Volz replacing Chris Casement, who is set for a loan move to Hamilton Academical, the Blues' backline is likely to be unchanged with Ben Thatcher on the left and skipper Gareth McAuley alongside Richard Naylor in the centre.

Alex Bruce sits out the second game of his three-match suspension, while David Wright isn't ready for a return with his recovery from his ankle ligament injury having stalled. The former Wigan and Crewe man is now expected to be back in contention when the Blues take on Reading at Portman Road in a fortnight's time.

Jim Magilton must decide whether Iván Campo is fit enough for a Championship start, having impressed in Tuesday's Carling Cup victory over Colchester while looking physically a long way from 100%.

Campo would take up the holding role he occupied against the U's and so often for Bolton if he plays, with Veliche Shumulikoski likely to occupy the position if the Spaniard doesn't start.

Liam Trotter or Tommy Miller will probably get the other central midfield role, while Jon Walters and Alan Quinn are likely to be in the wide positions. Danny Haynes will be on the bench with David Norris back in the squad after managing 65 minutes of the midweek reserve game against Spurs after recovering from his latest heel injury.

Up front, Kevin Lisbie and Pablo Couñago will start with Alan Lee not featuring with his move to Palace still ongoing if not imminent. Jordan Rhodes could get a run-out from the bench.

Watford, currently 13th having won one, drawn one and lost one in the league, will be without striker Grzegorz Rasiak for more than a month after the on-loan Southampton man broke a bone in his shoulder.

Manager Aidy Boothroyd says is a big blow and is hoping for a change of fortune: "Things always even themselves out so hopefully we'll get a little bit of luck someway along the line and we can maintain what has been a pretty steady, solid start.

"The great thing from a manager's point of view, from my point of view, is he wanted to play on with it through the pain, which is always a nice sign, but unfortunately he's been told on medical advice that he could make it a lot worse, so I'd rather lose him for six weeks than for six months.”

The Hornets will also be without young frontman Theo Robinson, who has a fractured bone in his arm. Keeper Richard Lee has a knee injury which has been keeping him out of action, while midfielder Jobi McAnuff has an ankle injury and is a doubt.

Town have had the better of the Hornets over the years, winning 24 games (21 in the league) between the sides, drawing 14 (14) and losing 18 (17).

Last season, goals from Darius Henderson and Tommy Smith gave Watford a 2-0 win at Vicarage Road, while Aidy Boothroyd's men ran out 2-1 winners at Portman Road with Smith and Nathan Ellington netting the visitors' goals and Jon Walters pulling one back for the Blues.

No one in the Watford squad has played for Town or vice versa, although the Blues' reserves boss Chris Kiwomya started his coaching career under Boothroyd with the Hornets.

Saturday's referee is Lee Probert from Gloucestershire, who has shown seven yellow and no red cards in his two games so far this season. Probert's last Town match was the 3-1 defeat at Hull City last season in which he failed to issue any cards.

Likely squad: Wright, Supple, Volz, Thatcher, McAuley, Naylor, Balkestein, Smith, Campo, Miller, Trotter, Shumulikoski, Garvan, Walters, Quinn, Haynes, Norris, Couñago, Lisbie, Rhodes.

Photo: Action Images

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