Town boss Mick McCarthy has striker David McGoldrick back after his knee injury but 18-goal Championship top scorer Daryl Murphy misses Saturday’s home game against Wigan with a calf strain. Luke Hyam and Dean Gerken remain on the sidelines.

“David McGoldrick is fine, he’s fit,” McCarthy said. “It’s nice to have him available again, he’s been a vital part of our team ever since he walked through the door and we want him fit, we want all our players fit, but he’s one of the best.”

Regarding Murphy, he added: “Murph’s got a bit of a calf strain and unfortunately he’ll be missing.

"He can’t play, we’re not even going to try him, it’s bonkers with the games that we’ve got left that we would even think about risking him.

“He just picked it up on Monday, got a little calf strain and we’ll have to do without him.”

Luke Hyam is out for a few weeks with a knee problem, but the Town boss says keeper Dean Gerken isn’t far off a return from his hip injury: “Gerks is fine, he’s bouncing about a little bit more, he’s not hiding away in the physio room. He’s starting to feel the force and he’ll hopefully be back in a week.”

Photo: Action Images

Michael11 added 14:40 - Jan 30 Big shame. McGoldrick just behind Sears then?
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ArnieM added 14:49 - Jan 30 ...and thats why we need another striker in the Murphy mould. We have no civer for him at all. I think he's been playing with an injury since the Saints away game.
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bluefeast added 14:53 - Jan 30 we will miss murph at both ends of the pitch , Hunt and Seers with McGoldrick just behind ,or Hunt and Mcgoldrick with seers on the bench. Murph has been instrumental , he looked absolutely beaten up against brighton. The players then get 4 full days off and he pulls his calf ,he should of been advised to have 4 days of massage to keep supple over those days.
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bluefeast added 14:55 - Jan 30 Might force us to play a little more on the deck football ,who can we lump it to . Chambers needs a good game ,hes been a weak link sadly for a few games
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battyblue added 15:00 - Jan 30 No one to hoof the ball up to now i am afraid..........put Smith up with sears chambers center back and Parr at right back where he should have been a long time ago....
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walberswicks added 15:00 - Jan 30 Why didn't we sign a forward? Or Powell? Derby takes Bent and will be top two. We spend all our time doing everything on a budget and have £1m striker told to stay away. Be lucky to hit eighth spot at this rate.
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walberswicks added 15:03 - Jan 30 Get Banjer back, quick.
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Jimmy86 added 15:08 - Jan 30 This is certainly bad news regarding Murphy and it really does highlight our small squad and the need for a couple of decent additions before the window closes on Monday. With our home record we should be looking to beat Wigan comfortably tommorow. I would play 4 3 3 with skuse, bishop and bru in midfield and sears, hunt and didz up front, with didz just dropping off to collect the ball from midfield. COYB

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Seasider added 15:08 - Jan 30 Well it had to happen at some time I suppose,our leading scorer out.All this month on here people saying no cover for DM now that Bajner Nouble and Sammon gone,and Bent at Derby;so looks like Mick will have to re think his tactics with fewer long high balls from the back. This could mean there will be more play through midfield or down the wings,which will be easier on the eye. Would still like to see him playing three centre backs with Mings and Parr wing backs;but we will have to wait to see how Mick resolves this situation. Longer term though still think we could do with cover for our target man,and a Jonny Williams type player,or the man himself to give a bit more flair to midfield although running out of time for a permanent signing. Still should win tomorrow I hope to keep the dream alive.

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Surco72 added 15:18 - Jan 30 IMO the team should be Bart Parr, Chambo, Berra , Mings Ambrose , Skuse, Tabb Bishop Dids, Sears Comfortable 2-0 win and gives Murph a break and Smith who has looked nervy since Derby game
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kuyski added 15:20 - Jan 30 The limited budget will cost us nothing in finally！
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kuyski added 15:20 - Jan 30 The limited budget will cost us nothing in finally！
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jocasaja added 15:23 - Jan 30 I can't believe all the worries and negative comments on here. I really don't think we need any additions to the squad - Murphs is the number 1 man BUT I am looking forward to seeing McGoldrick back and also excited about the prospect of seeing Sears and Noel Hunt - we have a smallish but very good squad - My bet is that we will all be on here praising at least 2 of the players that I have mentioned come Saturday Night ..Prediction Town 3- Wigan 1

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DanLyles added 15:30 - Jan 30 @Jimmy86, I like your suggested formation and personnel. Flexible too as like u say Didz can drop into midfield, while Sears and Hunt can go wide when needed so we're not too narrow. Please pay Parr at RB Mick.
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prebbs007 added 15:39 - Jan 30 Its ok saying without Murph we need to play through the midfield but that's hardly our strength. Our best passers are bru, bishop and Didzy, so without Murph they have to play. To do that we need to play with 3 centre backs and parr and mings out wide. Our best line up with availability tomorrow is imo :- Bart Parr Chambo Berra Smith Mings Skuse Bru Bishop Didzy Sears

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Kropotkin123 added 15:53 - Jan 30 Sears is a good player, and I back him to get on the score sheet, along with a CB from a set piece.
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tractorfact added 16:08 - Jan 30 yeah its not his best position chambers i'd play Parr, Parr is unlucky not to be starting, i'd give him a start and drop one of the centre halves We look more balanced with Parr in the team for me
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WarkOn added 16:33 - Jan 30 I think many of us are puzzled why MM persists in playing Chambo out of position (a position he shouldn't be in — not his fault) when we have an excellent RB in the shape of Parr. Parr can also distribute the ball effectively along the deck, which Chambo can't. We'd have been in better shape in the last few games with Parr there — he's organised, tidy and can still get forward well. But all managers have their favourites. Unless you're going to play 3 CBs, I think Smith is the better of the two, so he should play alongside Berra, with Chambo on the bench as cover. Doubt it'll happen though.

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jas0999 added 16:45 - Jan 30 Shame about Murphy. Highlights again the lack of squad depth that we have at the club. Thank goodness McGoldrick is back. Trouble is we don't have a similar type player to replace Murphy. We really need to sign a couple of players before the deadline. It would be a shame if we missed promotion due to a lack of adequate cover in key positions. Short term loans are not the answer as they could miss key play off games if it came to it.

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Kirbmeister added 17:01 - Jan 30 Jas0999 - So what quality striker who is better than Sears or Hunt will sign for us and then sit on the bench once Murphys fit again, and besides which if the striker is quality their club are certainly not going to get rid of them in the January window. Unless you have someone in mind?
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ChrisL_ITFC added 17:18 - Jan 30 3 at the back and attack them in the wide areas with wing backs BialkowskiParrChambersSmithBerraMingsSkuseBruTabbN. HuntMcGoldrick Substitutes: Kenny   Clarke   Anderson   S. Hunt   Ambrose   Bishop   Sears
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thebeat added 17:23 - Jan 30 About time Parr was brought in at Smiths expense. Far better fullback than Chambo and Chambo alongside Berra is our best left foot right foot combo. Smith has looked nervy lately and isnt comfortable when the balls on his right foot. I too would play Skuse, Bishop and Bru with Didz behind Sears and Hunt but i dont think Mick will be as expansive and expect to see either or both of Tabb and Anderson in the side. If we play 4-4-2 tommorow we will struggle because all the high balls wont stick without Murph. We need to use Didz as the link man between defence and attack.

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cornishblu added 17:24 - Jan 30 The defence debate is an interesting one Berra...one io MM signings Chambo....captain tommy smith....the crowd are always singing we want a team of tommy smiths ...so which one do you think mick will drop?? ....having raised that dilemma however I am with the voices about playing the back four with parr as a natural right back...and resting one of the CB,s.....just glad I don't have to make the decision COYB....time to give a team a thrashing!!

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Pilgrimblue added 17:32 - Jan 30 Unless MM is changing style and getting ball on deck, we'll need either Berra or Chambers or Smith to step up and take Murph's place. Otherwise Wigan defence are going to have easy time!
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nysully added 17:43 - Jan 30 Is there any chance the Murphy is not hurt and is negotiating a deal with Hull? I hope not but it is curious that all of a sudden he has a twinge.
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