Town manager Kieran McKenna will name the usual much-changed side for this evening’s second Papa Johns Trophy tie of the season at home to Arsenal’s U21s.

The Blues boss says that as in previous cup games he will utilise his squad, giving players who haven’t been in the XI a chance to get time on the pitch under their belts while still looking to emerge victorious.

“It’s a game we want to win,” he said. “I said from the start, the tournament’s not a priority for us but it’s a chance for minutes.

“We want to get through the group and see where it takes us because it could be a good game and a good day at the end of it.

“There’ll be heavy changes to the side but we’ll prepare as well as we can Monday and Tuesday morning for a good Arsenal side and hopefully another good game.”

Regarding the the yougn Gunners side, he added: “They’re what you expect from an Arsenal team,”

“They’ve got good momentum as a club at the minute with how the first team are doing.

“They’re in a good place and the U21s have been similar with a good start to their season in the league and a good start in this competition as well.

“They’re pretty consistent between the first team and academy in terms of style of play and system of play, as well as some of the patterns of play.

“You have a really good idea with what you’re going to face in terms of the general style of the team. In terms of the personnel and the little details, those can change and it’s about being ready for what comes.

“Also, it’s a good chance for a learning opportunity for players on the pitch because it’s a game and a tournament where you can’t prepare them for every eventuality and every player who might play.

“The clubs can pick from such a range of players. There’s a certain element of the game which will be good for the problem solving on the pitch and situations coming up that the players need to adapt to.

“They have a very good coach, Mehmet Ali, who I came across as a younger coach when he was at Tottenham. We know they’ll be tactically very well organised and that technically and physically, they will have high potential players. That will be a good challenge for us.

“We don’t play again until Sunday so it’s a good chance to take that challenge head on.”

Vaclav Hladky will start in goal with Richard Keogh expected to be given his second start in the defence with Kane Vincent-Young on the right and either Luke Woolfenden or George Edmundson on the left.

Greg Leigh’s Jamaica squad is not set to assemble ahead of their friendly against Argentina, which will be played a week on Wednesday in the early hours UK time in New Jersey, until Saturday so the former Morecambe man is likely to start on the left with Kyle Edwards on the right. Wes Burns is away with Wales having joined up with the squad on Sunday.

Dominic Ball and Cameron Humphreys, assuming he’s over his quad injury, as was expected to be the case, will be the central midfield pairing.

Marcus Harness looks set to start as one of the number 10s with Town shorter on forward options than usual with Sone Aluko injured, Tyreece John-Jules ineligible against his parent club and Gassan Ahadme cup-tied having played and scored twice for Burton against Leicester’s U21s in the competition prior to his move to Portman Road.

Conor Chaplin could also start behind lone striker Freddie Ladapo, while youngsters Zanda Siziba, Matt Ward and Tawanda Chirewa may play a part from the bench.

U21s skipper Fraser Alexander, who made his senior debut as a sub in the 6-0 hammering of Northampton, is also likely to be among the subs, along with young keeper Nick Hayes.

Town are currently top of Southern Group H on goal difference following the victory over the Cobblers.

Arsenal U21s, who are second in Premier League Two with 14 points from six games, are second in the group having beaten Cambridge United 2-0 at the Abbey Stadium in their first match. The Cobblers host the U’s this evening with their fixture kicking off at 7pm.

The rules of the competition oblige League One and Two clubs to field four qualifying outfield players in their starting XI.

A qualifying outfield player is someone who started the club's previous match, starts the following first-team game, someone in the top 10 players at the club in terms starting appearances in league and domestic cup competitions in the season up to this point, a player with 40 or more first-team appearances over their career or a player on loan from a Premier League or category one EFL side.

If clubs transgress that rule they face a £5,000 fine. The Blues will have no trouble in meeting the requirements for this evening's match.

Should the tie remain level at full-time, it goes straight to a penalty shootout with the winner given another point in addition to the one gained for the draw over 90 minutes.

Only the Magnus Group West Stand and the lower tiers of the Sir Alf Ramsey and Sir Bobby Robson stands will be open for this evening's game.

Town have faced Arsenal’s U21s twice in the competition over the last few seasons.

Last year, the Blues faced the Gunners’ youngsters in the round of 32 but were beaten 4-3 on penalties after a 2-2 draw at Portman Road.

Town also faced the North Londoners’ academy side in the group stage of the 2020/21 competition when Arsenal were again victorious in Suffolk, on that occasion 2-1.

Tonight's referee is James Oldham, who has shown 18 yellow cards and three red in seven games so far this season.

The Derbyshire-based official's last Town match was the 2-1 home victory over Crewe Alexandra in November last year in which he booked Edmundson, Bailey Clements and one Railwayman.

Other than that, Oldham has previously only refereed Town games against Lincoln, the 1-1 draw at Portman Road in March 2021 in which he yellow-carded Teddy Bishop, Flynn Downes and two Imps, and the 5-3 defeat at Sincil Bank in December 2019 in which he cautioned Andre Dozzell, Gwion Edwards, Freddie Sears and two home players.

Squad from: Hladky, Walton, Hayes, Donacien, Woolfenden, Edmundson, Keogh, Vincent-Young, Leigh, Davis, Morsy (c), Evans, Ball, Humphreys, Alexander, Harness, Edwards, Chaplin, Jackson, Siziba, Ward, Chirewa, Ladapo.

Photo: TWTD

MoscowBlueMule added 09:30 - Sep 20 I'm looking forward to the time when our U21's are eligible for this tournament......
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braveblue added 18:31 - Sep 20 Sounds like another good ref!!! 3 reds in 7 games?
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