Joe Royle has a virtually full-strength squad available for the visit of former Town manager George Burley's Derby County on Saturday. Only Drissa Diallo and Jimmy Juan are unavailable to the current Town boss.

Diallo is continuing his recovery from his hamstring problem, while Juan has had a foot problem throughout his loan spell at Portman Road and missed the reserves' victory over Spurs on Wednesday night.

Royle has named a squad of 16 for the visit of the Rams, who beat the Blues 3-2 in the fixture at Pride Park earlier in the season. Spanish midfielder Inigo Idiakez netted for the Rams from a superb freekick during that game and the Town boss is keen to avoid a repeat on Saturday: "He might not just be the best in the Championship, he might be the best in the country, he's that good.

"I watched him play against QPR recently and he hit the bar in that game and made their keeper make a number of good saves, so we have to be wary of him, that's for sure.

"He's very dangerous and we will be telling our players no silly freekicks around the box because it's like a free shot at goal for him. He's outstanding."

Royle has to choose between sticking with the 3-5-2 formation which has served the Blues so well in recent weeks or moving back to 4-4-2. The Town manager has already revealed that skipper Jim Magilton will be included in his starting line-up: "Jim is a massive figure at the club, and he will start our match against Derby.

"We have had to nurse him through the season a bit, and one of the hardest jobs I have had is to tell him he is not playing. He wants to play in every match and has proved to be an exceptional captain. I cannot believe how he has not been given the skipper's armband earlier in his career.

"Jim has been terrific for us on and off the field and he will make sure the players are on their toes for the remaining seven games. He sets a good example when he is playing well - and also when he is not, because he still keeps demanding the ball."

Defenders Richard Naylor and Jason De Vos and midfielder Ian Westlake have recovered from a virus which was affecting them at the weekend and none of the Blues' international call-ups acquired injuries while away this week.

Former Town boss George Burley is likely to get his usual ovation on his second return to his spiritual home since his October 2002 sacking, however, another ex-full-back, Chris Makin, will get a less friendly reception, as he did when he was at Portman Road with Leicester earlier in the season.

Burley, who has used a 4-5-1 formation in recent weeks, has recalled England U19 international Lee Holmes from a loan spell at Swindon. Holmes will come back into the squad for German winger Marco Reich who has been ruled out with an ankle injury.

The Rams also have concerns regarding Bosnian central defender Mo Konjic, who has a groin problem which has forced him to miss training this week. Michael Johnson and Richard Jackson are out with knee and groin problems respectively and will not be involved at Portman Road.

Substitute goalkeeper Lee Grant has a hairline fracture of the wrist and will be replaced as cover for Lee Camp by veteran stopper Kevin Miller, who was between Barnsley's sticks during Town's 4-2 play-off final win in 2000.

Saturday's referee is Alan Kaye from West Yorkshire who has shown 51 yellow cards and just one red in 25 games this season. Mr Kaye took charge of Town's 1-1 draw at Nottingham Forest in August when he booked Jason De Vos.

Town squad: Davis, Price, Wilnis, Richards, De Vos, Naylor, Unsworth, Magilton, Miller, Westlake, Currie, Horlock, Bent, Kuqi, Couñago, Scowcroft.

Photo: Action Images

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