Town boss Jim Magilton hopes skipper Gareth McAuley will be fit enough to return to his side as the Blues take on Sheffield United at Portman Road on Saturday. The Blues have injury concerns regarding Jon Walters and David Norris.

McAuley has missed the last three games due to a hamstring problem, while Norris has been suffering with a dead leg and Walters with a hip problem which Magilton says is proving difficult to diagnose: "With the number of games we are playing it has not been easy to identify the injury fully but he is still troubled by it and we will see how he is.”

The Blues boss says he is considering making a few changes to his side after the defeat at Birmingham: "Perhaps we need a bit of freshening up and, having been loyal to my players in recent weeks, I will have a look around today before deciding what side to name.

"Gareth I would like to have back in the side if he is fit. He is a front line header of the ball and we have missed him.

"Alex Bruce scored at Birmingham, which was nice, and I feel that Gareth gives us something extra and he had been playing well when he suffered his injury.”

McAuley looks likely to return to the side, probably alongside Richard Naylor, although Bruce has done well on his return to the side.

Moritz Volz could also come back into the team after missing the Derby game due to suspension and then Ben Thatcher and David Wright keeping their places for the trip to Birmingham. However, the more attack-minded loanee from Fulham could well get the nod ahead of Thatcher, with Wright switching to left-back.

In midfield, Norris's fitness will be assessed after training today. If fit, a right-sided midfield role looks likely, although Magilton may choose to make changes in the centre with Norris a possibility for one of those positions.

Veliche Shumulikoski may be rested after a busy couple of weeks for club and country with Tommy Miller keen to make a return to the starting line-up alongside Owen Garvan after coming on as a sub at St Andrew's. Darren Ambrose is likely to keep his place ahead of Alan Quinn on the left.

Up front, Walters could be pushed up from midfield if he comes through training OK today, probably alongside Pablo Couñago. The midweek partnership of the Spaniard alongside Jon Stead failed to gel and the Town manager may move back to the pairing which saw the Blues to their 2-0 victory over Derby last week.

The Blades, who currently sit fourth in the table on 31 points, having won four of their nine games on their travels, have a doubt concerning veteran midfielder Gary Speed, who has a back problem.

Assistant boss Sam Ellis says he is hopeful that the Welshman will be available: "He is improving and we will give him as long as possible to prove his fitness. He suffered a bit of a spasm in his back early on against Wolves, which made playing uncomfortable, but he was sensible enough to come off and not make it worse.

"He has a chance but if he doesn't we have a very good squad with strength in depth in every area and whoever comes in will do a good job.

"Matthew Spring replaced Gary on Tuesday night and he is a good player who has been promoted from the Championship before with Watford. He can score goals and I am surprised that that it took him until Tuesday for him to get off the mark for us."

Central defender Ugo Ehiogu is back after a three-match ban, while strikers Darius Henderson and Danny Webber are close to winning places in the starting line-up.

Ellis says the Blades are expecting a backlash from Town after their defeat at Birmingham: "Until last Tuesday Town were having a good run and they are always formidable opposition in Suffolk. They play good football and, as we know what we have to face, we are looking forward to the challenge.

"Ipswich have a good crowd behind them and an intimidating atmosphere, it is a real football place to go to. Jim Magilton has done well, bringing in good players and improving the side.

"Owen Garvan is a very promising youngster and he is only one of a number of Ipswich players that we will have to account for.

"In goal, Richard Wright has had a good career, playing for some top clubs, but our own Paddy Kenny has been in good form since Kevin Blackwell and I arrived and we rate him as probably the best in the division.

"They have ex-Blades Alan Quinn and Jon Stead in their ranks, but I don't think that insider knowledge will count for a lot because Jim Magilton will know us well anyway. And Quinny not being in their side recently shows what a good squad he has.

"Our lads have been bright in training this week and are in a determined mood because they feel they did well against Wolves.

"They have usually managed to bounce back after suffering a loss, which shows the quality within our squad."

Unusually, Town and the Blades have drawn more matches than either of them have won. The sides have been level on 22 (19 in the league) occasions, while Town have been victorious 21 times (20) and United 17 (15). The Blades are without a win at Portman Road since March 1975.

Last season, the sides drew 1-1 at Portman Road via goals from Alan Lee and James Beattie. The Blades won the Bramall Lane match 3-1, Beattie scoring twice, one a highly controversial penalty, and Keith Gillespie for the home side and Jon Walters for Town.

Jon Stead and Alan Quinn both joined Town from Sheffield United this year, but no current members of Kevin Blackwell's squad have represented the Blues. Quinn's younger brother Stephen is likely to be in the Blades' side, while an even younger brother Keith is in United's reserves side.

Issue 94 of TWTD will be on sale prior to the game from our sellers around the ground. Young central defender Tommy Smith is this issue's interview star, telling us how frustrating it is to have your season scuppered by a broken ankle, what it was like to make his debut, life as a loanee at Stevenage and much more.

There's also a chat with new goalkeeper-coach James Hollman, who is questioned by Jake Sweetman, one of his mates from his days as a Felixstowe schoolboy, as well as articles on everything from the rough time the club is getting from certain sections of the media and the Tevez saga to Robert Peston's possible recruitment as Town's manager. If you're not at the game, you can buy a copy online here.

Also on sale from the TWTD stall by Sir Alf will be copies of Mel Henderson's Ipswich Town: The 1978 FA Cup Story signed by Roger Osborne. This can also be purchased online.

Saturday's referee is Dean Whitestone from Northampton, who has shown 46 yellow cards and one red in 16 games so far this season. Whitestone has not previously refereed a game involving either Town or Sheffield United.

Likely Town squad: R Wright, Supple, D Wright, Volz, Thatcher, McAuley, Naylor, Bruce, Garvan, Shumulikoski, Miller, Campo, Norris, Ambrose, Quinn, Walters, Couñago, Stead, Lisbie, Haynes, Rhodes.

Photo: Action Images

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