Town manager Joe Royle is set to make two changes ahead of Tuesday night's top of the table home clash with Wigan. Kevin Horlock misses the game through suspension while Drissa Diallo has picked up a hamstring injury which will see him miss the entire holiday programme.

With Town's squad small, Royle looks certain to bring Matt Richards into his side to replace Diallo, the England U21 coming in at left-back and Fabian Wilnis switching to the right.

Royle says that Diallo picked up the injury at the end of last week: "It happened on Friday when he slid in for an innocent tackle in the very last minute of our session. He took a while to get up and I thought then that something was wrong."

Town have added new loan signing Daniel Karbassiyoon to their squad as defensive cover.

Horlock, who picked up his fifth booking of the season at QPR, will be replaced by Darren Currie who will make his home debut and first start for Town.

Currie looks likely to take a position on the left of midfield as he did when coming on at Loftus Road, with Ian Westlake moving alongside skipper Jim Magilton at the centre of midfield.

Other than those changes Town's side picks itself as the Blues looking for three points which will take them back to the top of the table.

The Town manager has continued making enquiries regarding a loan defender but as yet has had no luck: "I was already looking to bring someone in before Drissa's injury, so it's not a panic move.

"But trying to get hold of a defender isn't easy. Clubs don't want to leave themselves short for what is a particularly busy stage of the season.

"I'm waiting to hear from people, but that has been the situation for a while now. I would say I'm hopeful, rather than confident, of getting someone in on loan."

Wigan boss Paul Jewell says he is treating the top of the table clash like any other match: "I honestly don't look at the fixtures. I think they're all big, I prepare for every game exactly the same. There are three points at stake, no more, no less.

"Ipswich are a fantastic football club, have a great manager, a good team so it's going to be a good game. It's got all the ingredients of a good game. I hope it turns out that way.

"The league table doesn't lie after 46 games. That's what I'm a big believer in. I'm sick of saying this but Palace, after 22 games last year, had 22 points and they got promoted, so anything's possible if you put a run together. "

The Latics are without Per Frandsen who has a serious knee injury and is a long-term absentee. Manager Jewell was keen to add Burnley's Robbie Blake to his squad ahead of the Town game but looks like being unsuccessful.

Tuesday's referee is Phil Crossley from Bromley. So far this season Crossley has shown 41 yellow cards and four red in 18 games. He previously took control of Town when the Blues beat Wolves 2-1 at Portman Road earlier in the season.

Town squad: Davis, Supple, Wilnis, Richards, Naylor, De Vos, Collins, Karbassiyoon, Magilton, Miller, Westlake, Currie, Murray, Bent, Kuqi, Bowditch, Couñago.

Photo: Action Images

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