Midfielder Tommy Miller will face a fitness test on Saturday ahead of the Blues' live Sky game with Wigan Athletic. Miller has been suffering with a thigh problem but is expected to be fit to face Paul Jewell's side.

The former Hartlepool man trained on Thursday but was rested on Friday as a precaution. If he fails to make it, academy youngster Scott Mitchell will be called into the squad.

John McGreal is still out with his calf problem, while Fabian Wilnis will miss the next four-to-six weeks after injuring his shoulder at Coventry last week. Georges Santos is OK after picking up a shin injury at Highfield Road.

Kelvin Davis has missed training on a couple of occasions this week due to a tight back but he will be able to take his place between the sticks.

Long-term absentee Chris Makin will have an injection next week in a bid to get him back to action soon. The full-back is currently having problems with cartilage around the pelvis area following his surgery for a hip/thigh injury.

If the injection fails to help his progress then he could face another operation, which will mean he misses the remainder of the season.

With Town unable to bring in a loanee to replace Wilnis, Jermaine Wright looks virtually certain to take over at right-back with the Blues looking set to move back to their more regular 4-4-2 formation after fielding a 3-5-2 at Coventry.

Manager Joe Royle says that he made the change for a number of reasons: “Drissa was coming back after a long absence and I wanted a little bit more security around him. Equally, I thought that the change of system might freshen one or two minds.

“I've said before if you can't change the players — and we've tried to bring in loanees — a change of system might help. I wasn't unhappy with it, but as to whether we'll start that way on Saturday, you'll have to wait.”

Royle says that six points from the two consecutive home games against Wigan and Bradford would be important: “We need to make Portman Road a bit more like a fortress. I say that but I think, as of last week at least, there are only two sides in the table who have won more at home than us.

“So, it's not been that bad a home run. We're where we are because of our poor start, but apart from that we've been consistent.

“We do need to win these two games, it's a chance to take us right up there. They aren't easy games, Wigan at their place were outstanding against us. I thought we were poor, although spurned five great chances, but it was at the time when we couldn't score even if the goalkeeper had left the net.”

The Town boss is not surprised that the Latics have done so well in their inaugural season in Division One: “They came up with impetus and they are having a go. Their two front men are a handful, they've spent heavily on front players and they've now signed Alan Mahon.

“He'll be a great signing for them, so I'm not surprised at all that they are doing well. I said at the time of the game down there that it wasn't just a flash in the pan.”

The former Town loanee inevitably has become the focus of attention since signing for Wigan on Thursday. Royle says he does not expect the Irishman's return will have any particular bearing on the game: “I don't believe in set-ups. We all like him here immensely. The crowd loved him, the players, myself and at another time in another place I'd like to have signed him and I've never made any secret of that.

“I couldn't really care how well or badly Alan plays as long as we win. He was always going to be the hardest of the three loanees to sign, with the fee and his salary.”

Mahon is likely to come straight into the Wigan side, replacing Lee McCulloch who has had flu and who is likely to be a sub.

Andy Liddell and Steve McMillan, who have both been out of action for some time, returned to the bench last week and are expected to fill similar roles at Portman Road.

Full-back Peter Kennedy, a scorer against Town for Derby earlier in the season, is also back after injury while loanee Alan Rogers has returned to Leicester.

Saturday's referee is Paul Taylor from Cheshunt. Taylor has shown 79 yellow and 10 red cards in 22 games this season. He previously officiated in Town's 2-1 loss at Notts County when he awarded the Second Division side a highly dubious penalty.

Watchers of the reserves will be dismayed to see that one of Saturday's linesmen is Darren Deadman. The Hertfordshire official was widely condemned for his refereeing performance in November's 0-0 draw with Portsmouth when he red-carded Town keeper Lewis Price.

Town squad: Bart-Williams, Bent, Bowditch, Couñago, Davis, Diallo, Kuqi, Magilton, Miller, Naylor, Price, Reuser, Richards, Santos, Westlake, Wright. Standby: Mitchell.

Photo: Action Images

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