Boss Mick McCarthy says he expects keeper Dean Gerken to be fine to face Bolton Wanderers at the Reebok Stadium on Saturday despite the 28-year-old having been subbed in the first half of last week’s 1-0 home defeat to Burnley with a dead leg. The Town manager says striker Daryl Murphy has suffered a minor injury in training but also ought to be OK.

“He’ll be fine, I think,” McCarthy said of Gerken. “He’s done some work with [goalkeeper-coach] Malcolm Webster and the other keepers this morning.

“Nothing too physical, but he’s joined and got knocked and banged. I think he’ll be all right, I think he’ll be fine.”

If the former Bristol City and Colchester man hadn’t been fit, McCarthy would have had no qualms about naming 17-year-old Michael Crowe in his squad.

“He’s got huge potential,” he said. “We’re all delighted with him that’s why we’ve got him tied down on a longer contract.

“He would have been on the bench. I wasn’t looking to get anybody else in. There’s only one way to see, isn’t there? If he has to play, he has to play.”

He confirmed that the London-born, Norway-raised keeper was withdrawn from the Wales U19 squad — for whom he qualifies via his grandmother — as cover for Gerken.

“He had to train here because we only had one goalkeeper,” McCarthy added. “I would have thought his work here would be better than there.

"If he has to sit on the bench, then I’m sure he’ll be delighted to be around the first team.”

The Town boss says striker Daryl Murphy is the only other injury concern but he also expects him to be fine: “Murph got a bit of a knock yesterday, he’s tweaked his groin, but I’m hopeful he’ll be OK.”

Meanwhile, former Town keeper Arran Lee-Barrett has joined Bolton on a short-term contract after first-choice Adam Bogdan suffered a knee injury in training. One-time Town target Andy Lonergan is expected to take the Hungarian’s place in the side.

The Trotters have also lost loan winger Liam Feeney, who has been recalled by his parent club Millwall.

Photo: Action Images

Hegansheroes added 17:04 - Oct 24 McCarthy's comments about playing Crowe do not seem to be consistent with how Marriot is being Handled, surely he can't be worse than Murphy or Nouble
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ntoms97 added 17:04 - Oct 24 Not a Gerken fan but he's starting to change my mind and Murphy I like so would possibly put him in and Gerken
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Surco72 added 18:42 - Oct 24 Excellent news then ,win , lose or draw MM will keep putting out the same side, bound to get a result some day . How about changing the team to suit a slow back four , poor at set pieces , compact in the middle . We need a right back at right back same problem we have had for so many years ,no creative player in the middle . I feel MM is trying to justify his signings by playing them so often ahead of others Berra ,Nouble, Anderson ? Will play for another 0-0 draw at Bolton and think it is a good point

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Count_Arthur added 18:51 - Oct 24 Agree Surco72 that I think he's trying to justify his signings. Berra's OK but at the expense of Chambers playing out of position? And where's Wordsworth gone?
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bedsitfc added 20:06 - Oct 24 Surco72 - we all know that a settled 11 is better than changes for every game. Ok we've not won for a few games but we also have'nt lost many. If we keep playing this same 11 I can see us going on a good run soon.
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TimmyH added 20:37 - Oct 24 He'll probably name an unchanged side - again! Wordsworth at least on the bench as well as Marriott and no sign of Nouble please.
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TR11BLU added 21:56 - Oct 24 Pity about Murphy cos MM wouldn't drop him unfortunately. The bloke brings nothing to the team.
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Garv added 22:34 - Oct 24 Murphy is not fantastic but at the moment he is the best we have as a partner for McGoldrick. 'Brings nothing to the team' is so wrong. As a substitute Marriot has to be considered as Nouble really is awful.
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battyblue added 05:46 - Oct 25 i suppose its good that Murphys fit or we would have to endure Frank Nouble from the start i would also like to know where Wordsworth is as well
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