Town boss Joe Royle has named an 18-man squad for Friday's live Sky TV game at Sheffield United. Tommy Miller, Jim Magilton, Ian Westlake, Kelvin Davis and Chris Bart-Williams have all missed training this week but came through Wednesday's session without a problem.

Royle says that barring any untoward developments later this week a virtually full-strength squad will travel to South Yorkshire on Thursday: “They've all come through training OK this morning.

“I don't know whether they are going to wake up stiff as a board or whether they have some reaction tomorrow, but as it stands now they're all fit and we'll be setting off tomorrow with 18.”

The Town manager is particularly pleased to welcome back Miller: “We missed his thrust going forward. Tommy's a great finisher and he's got eight or nine goals for us this year. We missed that threat from midfield as there's certainly no other midfielder we have who carries that threat.”

Striker Pablo Couñago remains on the sidelines, and Royle says he is only likely to return to action this season should Town make it into the play-offs: “We've got two reserve games next week, the second one is Thursday and I'll be delighted if he makes that, but I'd also be slightly surprised.

“Pablo's training towards hopefully being involved in the play-offs. It's been frustrating because it was a hamstring to start with and as soon as that cleared he's picked up the groin injury. That sums Pablo's season up really; it's been stop-start, stop-start and not quite got there for him.”

Royle says that Friday's game has gained greater significance due to the Blues' defeat against Nottingham Forest: “It's obviously a big game, it grew in importance last weekend when we lost and they won, putting us close together again.

“It's still a game that they have got to win and it's a game that we really daren't lose, so there's a slight difference. I don't think a draw is a killer for us but if you look at our record we don't seem to do draws.

“I knew they'd be up there, they've probably missed Murphy and Brown and haven't quite had the rhythm of last year. It was always going to be hard for them to emulate last year anyway; they had such a great season in both the league and the cup.

“I know Neil will be winding them up, he's already calling this their ‘cup final' I'm told and it will be near enough a full house. It's going to be some game.”

Warnock is indeed giving the game a big build-up: "Ipswich is our cup final and it's not often that you get to play a cup final at home. We need everybody to turn out and give it their all for 90 minutes - players, coaches and supporters alike.

"It's absolutely vital that we make the most of being at the Lane. It's a huge occasion and everyone who has an interest should come along.

"I want the lads to have an amazing backing all the way through. If we can get that throughout, it really could carry them through."

"Ipswich will create chances because that's the way they play, but we are confident here that we have enough to trouble them ourselves."

The Town boss doesn't view the game in quite the same way as his Blades counterpart: "We certainly don't see Friday's game as our cup final. We hope we've still got that to come, at Cardiff on May 29th.

"This game is an opportunity to see off one of the teams behind us and we'll be going there to win - that's us, that's the way we are.”

United have Phil Jagielka, named in the PFA select side for Division One at the weekend, back in their side, while Simon Francis could also return.

Former Town loan target Ashley Ward is out for the rest of the season due to a knee injury and fellow striker Steve Kabba is also likely to be missing, despite inclusion in a reserves side facing Sheffield Wednesday this afternoon.

Friday's referee is Eddie Ilderton from Tyne and Wear. So far this season Ilderton has shown 87 yellow cards and four red in 30 games. He has never previously officiated in a Blues match. Perhaps controversially, the assistant referees have been named as Alan Sheffield and Tom Sim.

Town squad: Davis, Price, Wilnis, Richards, McGreal, Elliott, Naylor, Diallo, Santos, Magilton, Miller, Wright, Westlake, Bart-Williams, Reuser, Bowditch, Bent, Kuqi.

Photo: Action Images

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