Central defensive linchpin Richard Naylor is expected to be available for Monday's live Sky game at home to Preston North End (Sky Sports One, KO 12.45pm). The Blues have appealed against Naylor's red card at Millwall with video evidence appearing to confirm his innocence.

Referee Mark Halsey adjudged Naylor to have pulled back Lions' striker Barry Hayles in the 76th minute but the TV footage shows no contact with the former Fulham man and the Town defender play the ball back to keeper Lewis Price prior to the striker's claim of a foul. The 28-year-old is likely to be selectable while the Blues await the result of their appeal.

Naylor will be part of an unchanged back four with Jason De Vos still a week or so away from a return after cracking ribs in the opening day of the season win against Cardiff City.

Town will continue to be without striker Nicky Forster for the next month and boss Joe Royle is likely to go with two men up front at home rather than using Sam Parkin as a lone attacker as he did at Millwall.

Royle named Dean McDonald in his squad ahead of Dean Bowditch at the Den and will have to choose between the pair for the role of Parkin's partner.

In midfield, Royle will leave out one of his more senior men, perhaps skipper Jim Magilton who has been suffering with a foot problem in recent months and who has rarely started two games in three days in recent seasons. Otherwise, Kevin Horlock could be the man to be left out, as was the case against Sheffield Wednesday 10 days ago.

Young Irishman Owen Garvan looks a certain starter in a central role with Ian Westlake set for the left and Darren Currie for the right.

Preston, play-off final losers last season, have started 2005/06 poorly, winning only their opening day game at Watford. Further bad news for the Lilywhites' was striker Richard Cresswell's departure for Leeds last week for £1.15 million.

Former Blackburn full-back Callum Davidson is an injury doubt for Billy Davies's side with a groin injury picked up in training, however Everton-targeted midfield man Dickson Etuhu is over an ankle problem. Keepers Gavin Ward and Andy Lonergan are both out of action with shoulder and cruciate ligament injuries respectively.

Davies says new signing Adam Nowland will be involved in some way against the Blues: "I think there's a good chance of him coming into the squad tomorrow.

"He's got great ability and is a good addition to us. He'll add competition and he can make good runs from the middle of the park, make and score goals. He's a very good addition and I'm sure over the season we'll see him adding to the squad and the quality."

PNE have won at Town only once, back in 1964 when they defeated the Blues 5-1, the last time they scored at Portman Road. Over the last three years they have left Suffolk having been on the end of 3-0, 2-0 and 3-0 defeats.

Monday's referee is Brian Curson from Leicestershire who has shown five yellow cards and one red in two games so far this season. He last took control of the Blues in the 0-0 draw at Gillingham in March but is probably best remembered for awarding Town a last minute penalty for a foul on Jim Magilton on the opening day of the 2003/04 season at home to Reading.

Likely Town squad: Price, Supple, Sito, Richards, Naylor, Wilnis, Collins, Magilton, Westlake, Currie, Horlock, Garvan, Peters, Juan, Parkin, Bowditch, McDonald.

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