Town have named an 18-man squad for the trips to Leeds on Saturday and Burnley on Tuesday. Dutch defender Fabian Wilnis is available again after his groin injury, while young right winger Danny Haynes keeps his place.

Wilnis has recovered quicker than expected from the injury he sustained in the home draw with Southampton but is unlikely to make a return to the starting line-up. Spaniard Sito will continue on the right of the defence after his red card against Norwich was rescinded with Jay McEveley at left-back.

Sito can count himself unlucky to be listed amongst the Football League's bad boys at this stage of the season, having received two red and one yellow card despite the League's statistics showing he has only committed four fouls.

Richard Naylor, born and bred in Leeds and a fan of the Elland Road club, will continue alongside Jason De Vos at the heart of the defence. De Vos and midfielder Kevin Horlock will both make their 50th League appearances for Town against Kevin Blackwell's side, the pair having made their debuts in the 2-1 home win against Gillingham on the opening day of last season.

Horlock will continue in the centre of the midfield, with Darren Currie, Owen Garvan and Jim Magilton also set to start. Up front boss Joe Royle says he will continue with Sam Parkin and Dean Bowditch, having failed to sign a loan goalmonger earlier in the week.

The Town boss says that despite going four games without a victory, he is not too worried that about his side's form: "I think if we'd had a full squad to pick from we could have been four or five points better off than we are at the moment and that would have been a terrific start.

"We have had a run of four games without a win but in that period we have played against Norwich and Southampton, two of the relegated sides, and Sheffield United, who have spent big and are the Championship leaders.

"Southampton are the best side we have faced and will be up there at the end and so will Norwich, but I have seen nothing to fear in this division.

"We can take great heart from the second half against Norwich when we dominated them for 45 minutes with only 10 men.

"What I want is a run of games without any injury problems and suspensions, then we will see what we are about because, with our best 11 out on the pitch, we will be a match for anyone in this division."

Midfielder Ian Westlake is unlikely to be back in action until November at best after injuring his ankle in training but Nicky Forster is likely to be involved with the reserves in early October and is likely to be in line for a first team return soon after.

Town will stay in the North between the two matches and will train at Unibond League side Radcliffe Borough's Stainton Park ground. Until recently Royle's son Darren was a player with the Lancashire club.

Leeds are without striker David Healy who is suspended after his red card against QPR last week. Former Preston man Richard Cresswell, who scored twice in the Carling Cup in midweek, will continue up front in the Northern Irishman's absence.

Rob Hulse (ankle) and Robbie Blake (calf) are Kevin Blackwell's only injury problems with captain Paul Butler, Eddie Lewis, Gary Kelly and Shaun Derry all set for recalls. Former Blue Jermaine Wright is currently on loan at Millwall.

Blackwell says the current Town team is one which is in the process of developing: "They lost four good players in Davis the goalkeeper, Bent up top and Tommy Miller in midfield and Shefki Kuqi.

"They have spent some money on the likes of Parkin up front and Forster, and with Jim Magilton, De Vos and Naylor they have kept the bulk of the squad that did well last season. They are a side that are starting to evolve and they will give us a tough game.

"If they had won against Norwich they would have gone six or seventh, and if that's a bad start then there are at least 11 other clubs in the division who would like their start.

"Ipswich have a great nucleus of youth, they won the FA Youth Cup, but we know more than anybody that having a team full of youngsters presents you with too many learning curves at one time and that might be Joe's worry at the moment.

"But they are a side with good experience and they know they are capable of getting results wherever they go, although they have not been as consistent this season.

"Which is the Ipswich that will turn up at Elland Road? Is it the one that's higher and fired up or one that's a little bit off the pace? I hope it's the second."

Saturday's referee is elite list official Mark Halsey from Lancashire who has shown 13 yellow and two red cards in seven games this season. Town supporters will need no reminder that one of those red cards was issued to Richard Naylor in the recent 2-1 win at Millwall.

Squad: Bowditch, Currie, De Vos, Garvan, Haynes, Horlock, Juan, Magilton, McDonald, McEveley, Naylor, Parkin, Peters, Price, Richards, Sito, Supple, Wilnis.

Photo: Action Images

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