Boss Mick McCarthy may be pondering whether to make changes ahead of tonight’s live Sky game against his old club Barnsley at Portman Road. Town have been unchanged for six consecutive matches but McCarthy was disappointed with last week's display at Bolton even though his team picked up a point.

The Blues manager is able to call on striker Paul Taylor, who was recalled from his loan spell back at Peterborough on Wednesday. The 26-year-old is likely to be amongst the subs instead of Jack Marriott, who has an ankle injury but would have dropped out in any case.

The Town boss is likely to stick with goalkeeper Dean Gerken and his usual back four of, from right to left, Luke Chambers, Christophe Berra, Tommy Smith and Aaron Cresswell.

In midfield, McCarthy may be weighing up whether to bring Jay Tabb in on the left and switching Ryan Tunnicliffe into the centre for Luke Hyam as he did late on at the Reebok Stadium last week.

However, it would be harsh to split up the regular Hyam-Cole Skuse partnership after only one disappointing performance, even if the Blues have failed to win any of their last four games.

Skipper Carlos Edwards is pushing for a return, however, Paul Anderson seems likely to continue on the right of midfield, while up front David McGoldrick and Daryl Murphy will probably again be the starting pair.

McCarthy says this week’s three-day power cut at Playford Road didn’t have a massive effect on the squad’s preparations: “It’s been awkward but you just get on with it.

“Us not having a bit of power, we go down to Portman Road and train. It’s [harder for] all the people round here who haven’t got any electricity and without any heating in their homes.

“For us it was just an inconvenience. We went down to Portman Road, got changed, came back up here and trained. No aggravation really.”

He believes the run of four games without a win doesn’t tell the full story: “That’s a great stat. We’ve only lost one, of course, and I believe three of them have been away from home. We lost to Burnley, but that was the toss of a coin that, it was very close.

“They’re top of the league and somebody took the chance eventually. Arguably we were the better side in that.

“And then we’ve had three draws away from home at Derby, Bolton and Sheffield Wednesday. The results aren’t as bad as the stat.”

Barnsley have lost all six of their away league games this season and McCarthy says the Tykes will be aiming to put that particular stat firmly behind them: “They’ll be saying that they’ve got to end it somewhere. You can put a positive or negative spin on all those stats.

“We have to play as well as we’ve played so far this season. Last week was probably our worst performance and yet we got a point out of it away from home at a club that’s got a very good squad. Keep playing the way we’re playing.”

He says the Tykes are an improving side: “We just watched a couple of their games and they’re no mugs by any stretch of the imagination. They’ve just had a slow start and I think they’ve got a decent squad who have played well.

“We were just watching them against Sheffield Wednesday and we’ve another game to watch when I go in. They’re OK, it’s Championship football. There’s not a great deal between us. On any given day you could come out with a win.

“They’ll know we’ve got a good home record, they’ll know they’ve not won away from home, but it really is the toss of a coin sometimes because they’re hard games.”

McCarthy was very impressed with the job his Barnsley opposite number David Flitcroft did last year: “I thought he was one of the candidates for manager of the season for keeping them up. They looked like they’d gone.

“I have to be honest, even to the last day of the season when it was Peterborough who went down, they were winning at the start and it looked like Barnsley had gone.

“To stay up in the manner that they did was great and I was delighted, of course, because it’s a club close to my heart and I didn’t want them to go down. As long as we didn’t go down, I wasn’t bothered, but then it was Barnsley.”

Flitcroft, whose side are currently second bottom of the Championship, will be without keeper Luke Steele, who has a back injury, while on-loan Crystal Palace defender Peter Ramage has a thigh problem.

Midfielder Paddy McCourt is a big doubt with a torn buttock muscle, but defender Lewin Nyatanga could return to the squad after a knee injury.

Flitcroft says Town are a typical Mick McCarthy side: “Mick’s been in there quite a while. They’re full of exactly what Mick says on the tin.

“They’ve got honesty, loyalty to each other and a great work ethic. They’ve got good players who are certainly playing as one and as a team.

“He’s got two players in form up front. [David] McGoldrick’s in form and he looks fit. It’s going to be a tough, head-on collision. But I’m looking forward to the game.

“I look at our away form and on paper it looks as bad as anything in the league. But when I go back to the Forest game — where we’re six minutes away from a draw — and Bournemouth and Blackpool and Leicester. We’ve got to turn that little bit of detail into something more tangible.

“I’m looking forward to us trying to pit our wits against a good Ipswich team. If I’m being really honest, I believe we can beat any team in this league.”

Historically, Town have done well against the South Yorkshiremen, winning 21 games between the sides (20 in the league), drawing seven (seven) and losing 13 (11).

The teams last met at Portman Road in January when Barnsley sub Danny Rose netted a late equaliser — his first league goal — to deny the Blues three points and the Tykes left Portman Road having claimed a deserved 1-1 draw.

Town were fortunate to be on terms at half-time — ex-Blues loanee Marlon Harewood missing a number of chances — but Luke Chambers put Mick McCarthy's men in front in the 56th minute.

In September last year at Oakwell, Town withstood a second half barrage from Barnsley to claim a 1-1 draw.

Aaron Cresswell put the Blues in front in the sixth minute from a well-worked freekick but the home side put on the pressure after the break and grabbed a 74th minute equaliser via Stephen Dawson.

Last time the sides met on Sky, in December 2011 at Oakwell, goals from Keith Andrews (2), Danny Collins, Michael Chopra and Jason Scotland saw the Blues turn around a two-goal half-time deficit in an extraordinary fashion to beat Barnsley 5-3.

Town had been atrocious before the break with the Tykes deservedly two goals in front via Craig Davies, a penalty, and Ricardo Vaz Te. Davies added Barnsley’s third in the closing minutes.

Former Town frontman Scotland joined the Tykes after settling his contract at Portman Road in January. The 34-year-old Trinidad and Tobago international is largely used as a sub.

Veteran keeper Mike Pollitt, 41, who is currently on loan from Wigan, made one appearance for the Blues during a curtailed loan spell in November 2006, a 3-1 home derby victory over Norwich City.

Town boss Mick McCarthy came through the ranks at his hometown club, making his senior debut in 1977 and went on to make 314 appearances, scoring 10 goals, before leaving for Manchester City in 1983, having been part of a side which had climbed from the Fourth to the Second Division.

Blues striker Frank Nouble spent two spells on loan with Barnsley during 2010/11 and 2011/12, failing to net in nine starts and one sub appearance in total.

Current Town loanee Ryan Tunnicliffe made three appearances while on loan with the Tykes at the end of last season.

Town fitness coach Andy Liddell was a Barnsley player between 1991 and 1998 having come through the Tykes’ youth system.

With the game on Sky, fans are meeting up in pubs across the country and bars around the world to watch it. Those going to the match are reminded that there are roadworks on the A14 following the game.

Friday’s referee is former Premier League official Andy D’Urso from Billericay in Essex, who has shown 37 yellow cards and two red in 11 games so far this season.

D’Urso’s most recent Town match was the 3-1 home victory over Nottingham Forest in November when he booked Luke Hyam and Bradley Orr from Town and three opposition players.

Squad from: Gerken, Loach, Chambers, Hewitt, Veseli, Cresswell, Mings, Smith, Berra, Skuse, Hyam, Wordsworth, Tunnicliffe, Edwards, Anderson, Tabb, Murphy, McGoldrick, Nouble, Taylor.

Photo: Action Images

ipswich_4_life added 16:38 - Nov 1 I would like to see this: Gerken Chambers Berra Smith Cresswell Skuse Anderson Edwards Tunnicliffe Taylor Mcgoldrick I think that taylor could change our season. COYB
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AliceTheobald95 added 16:39 - Nov 1 I was quite confident about this match...that is until i see who the ref is and know he shall spoil the game. Think anderson should be dropped in favour of hewitt (who i think could do wonders on the wing) i also think skuse should be dropped in favour of tunnicliffe with tabb or talyor on the wing.
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Keaneish added 16:55 - Nov 1 I completely agree Jimmy86 - I think in MM's head he's treating the first half of this season as a time to stabilise and become hard to beat; a platform to build on which Hyam is integral to. I think the more we move into the season once the side is more than familiar with how each other plays, we'll start to see us open up a bit more and become more attacking which means Hyam will make way unless he can add that side to his game in the starts he's being given. For me he's still showing signs of being goal shy; looking for the pass when there's a shot on but we'll see... 3-nil tonight anyone?

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Jimmy86 added 17:05 - Nov 1 Keanish agree with what you say and hope thats the case. Hyam is certainly good enough to be a defensive, holding midfielder and thrives when he has a more attack minded, creative player next to him, hence why he played well alongside luongo/drury, who were more natural on the ball think id go for 2-0 town
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scottrock added 17:33 - Nov 1 Anyone know of a website which will stream the game? I don't have Sky and can't get to a pub as I've got my children staying!
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JWM added 18:05 - Nov 1 I was confident about tonight until I discovered that Andy Wurso is reffing!
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TedTurnip added 18:18 - Nov 1 0-0 after 85 minutes, Taylor to come on and score the winner
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oddball added 18:49 - Nov 1 Defense picks itself, taylor up front with mc goldrick, hmmm... What to do with the midfield, think hyam will lose his place tonight, rightly or wrongly as mm will try something new. Im actually very happy wiv the ways things are going, big big improvement on last few years, good squad.
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