Midfielder Tommy Miller is confident he will be OK to face Brighton on Saturday despite the elbow injury which kept him out of the trip to Sunderland last weekend. The injury has progressed as the week has gone on and Miller looks set to retake his place in a four-man midfield.

Miller told TWTD: "It's getting better and hopefully it will be OK for the game. I've got much more bend in it now; I initially couldn't get anything like full bend on it but it's coming along.

"When I first did it I couldn't run with it and had I fallen on it I would have been in danger of more serious damage. So I was advised not to risk it."

Miller will play with some protection on the injury but has felt limited by some of the strapping he has used during training: "I've got this blue band that I've been wearing on it but I trained without it on Thursday and I actually felt a lot better.

"The injury is right on the end of the bone, so when I was bending the arm the band was restricting my movement a little and it was hurting. I took that off on Thursday and it felt better.

"I'll need to put some protection over it, though, as I don't want to hurt it again and it's still sore. It'll be three to four weeks before it heals, so I've got to be careful.

"But I'm quite confident I'll make it. I've joined in with the lads in training this week, by the end of the week getting involved in everything and it was OK."

Miller expects Brighton to come to Portman Road with few attacking ideas in mind: "I think they might stick one up front and have five across the middle of midfield and four at the back, as a lot of teams have come to Ipswich and done this season. But we've got to expect that.

"It is hard getting through sides who come with that approach rather than sides who come and play quite open football but we have to find a way through.

"Patience is important. If we don't get an early goal the pressure increases as the clock ticks away and the fans get a bit agitated."

Miller says he has enjoyed 2004/05 up to now but was frustrated the injury forced him to miss the trip to the Stadium of Light, the most local fixture to Shotton Colliery where he grew up: "Overall the season's gone well for me, although it was a big disappointment missing the game last week. Of all the games to miss Sunderland away was a bit of a killer really."

Last season Miller received a couple of call-ups from Scotland for whom he qualifies via his grandparents. Injuries prevented him from making an appearance and the former Hartlepool player says he's not thought much about an international career this year: "I've not heard anything lately. I'm not really interested at present as my main objective is to stay in the Ipswich team, stay fit and win promotion.

"Scotland is something I've not really thought about and is on the back burner at present. It's something that might happen in the future but at the moment I just want to stay focused on Ipswich and getting the team promoted and progress from there."

Miller's current four-year deal is up next summer but he doesn't expect to hear anything regarding a new offer in the short-term: "My contract is up at the end of the season and I'm into my fourth year. I've had a good time and good memories but we'll see what happens.

"There's been no talk about new contracts as yet. Last season they left it late with Jermaine Wright and John McGreal and I think it's a case of seeing which league we are going to be in next season."

Miller will be looking to add to his six goals in 21 appearances this season when the Blues face the Seagulls and increase the chances of a new deal being on Premiership not Championship terms.

Photo: Action Images

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