Town welcome back Kevin Horlock from his knee injury and Dean McDonald from his loan spell at Hartlepool ahead the Christmas fixtures which start with the Boxing Day home game with Crystal Palace (KO 3pm).

Horlock is not in the squad facing the Eagles as he needs a week's training but will be considered for involvement later in the Christmas period. McDonald had a successful month with Pools, scoring his first senior goal, and will be keen to take that form into his return to the Blues.

Town still have a number of players on the sidelines, Sam Parkin is out for around another three months with his broken ankle, while new Norwegian midfield signing Vemund Brekke Skard is still recovering from his groin operation. The former Brumunddal man will, all being well with the paperwork, be available from January 2nd.

Adam Proudlock is also out with a knee problem and is unlikely to be back in training until the new year. Boss Joe Royle says he is yet to decide whether the loanee from Sheffield Wednesday will be kept on beyond his current spell. Billy Clarke is also out having dislocated his elbow in the reserve game at Portsmouth last week.

Better news is that Owen Garvan and Ian Westlake are closer to full fitness and should be ready to push for places in the starting line-up during the holiday rush of matches.

Royle says Palace are one of the best teams in the Championship, particularly in attack: "They are one of the stronger sides in the division despite their position at the moment, which they will be disappointed with.

"Certainly they've got forward players that we all envy, with Jon Macken coming back over Christmas added to Andy Johnson, Clinton Morrison and Dougie Freedman.

"With that sort of fire power you can expect them to improve in the second half of the season. But I expect us to improve as well."

Iain Dowie has lost Danny Butterfield to a pelvic injury, while former Town target Danny Granville and Finnish international Aki Riihilahti are also sidelined at present.

Monday's referee is Andy Woolmer from Northamptonshire who has shown 69 yellow and six red cards in 20 matches so far this season. Woolmer's last Town game was the 2-0 Carling Cup defeat to Yeovil at Portman Road earlier in the season.

Squad: Bowditch, Currie, De Vos, Forster, Garvan, Haynes, Juan, Magilton, McDonald, Naylor, Peters, Price, Richards, Sito, Supple, Westlake, Williams, Wilnis.

Photo: Action Images

Ipswich Town Polls