Town will be without midfield regulars Jimmy Juan and Gavin Williams when they face Leeds at Portman Road on Tuesday evening (KO 7.45pm). Juan misses one game after picking up his fifth booking of the season, while Williams has jarred a knee.

The former West Ham man also spent the weekend with a headache after receiving a blow to the head, but the Wales international is back in training and is expected to be available for Sunday's East Anglian derby at Norwich.

Juan will be missed having become an integral part of the Town midfield this season. Boss Joe Royle says he has been impressed with the 22-year-old Monaco man and is keen to make his move to Portman Road a permanent one in the summer: "He's done very well. His progress has been in line with our progress and we're delighted with him.

"We'd like him to sign permanently but that's all I can say at the moment. We don't exactly know his position with Monaco as yet, but we'd like it to happen."

Midfielder Kevin Horlock and striker Dean McDonald have been added to the squad despite being linked with switches to Barnsley and Hartlepool respectively. Royle doesn't expect any moves in or out of Portman Road before the closure of the transfer window on Tuesday, although he says that reports that Horlock has turned down the chance to join the Tykes are premature.

The Town boss says the club has had a number of left-backs on trial during the transfer window but, with Scott Barron doing well since Christmas, the Blues are no longer seeking to strengthen that area of the side.

Royle had also been looking for striker cover but is less in need of a loan frontman as players leave the injured list. Adam Proudlock is back in the squad after his knee injury, having trained for almost two weeks, although the former Wolves and Sheffield Wednesday man is still short of match fitness, with last Tuesday's reserve game against West Ham postponed due to the weather.

Sam Parkin could be back playing football next week after his long-term absence due to an ankle injury. Norwegian midfielder Vemund Brekke Skard is back in reserves action but is in need of games before he can be considered for the first team.

On the downside, Nicky Forster will have an exploratory operation on his knee on Wednesday after a setback in training. The former Reading man has been out of contention since limping off in the first half at Hull just after Christmas.

Royle expects a tough match against one of the sides in the chasing pack behind top two Reading and Sheffield United: "It will be a hard game, they're right up there where we'd love to be. They've got a rash of forwards they keep switching in and out and they can score a goal. They're strong.

"They're much-changed, they too have had a big turnaround in players, they've been quite free spenders and you'd expect them to at least be play-off contenders come the end of the season."

The absence of Juan and Williams will see changes in the Town midfield with Jim Magilton expected to fill the central berth alongside Owen Garvan.

Matt Richards or Ian Westlake could replace Williams, although Darren Currie may be switched from his role behind Alan Lee with Danny Haynes joining the Irish international up front.

At the back, Shane Supple will keep his place in goal ahead of Lewis Price, while the back four will continue with Scott Barron on the left, Fabian Wilnis on the right and Jason De Vos and Richard Naylor in the centre.

Earlier in the season, the Blues won 2-0 at Elland Road with two goals, both against the run of play, from Sam Parkin. Town, who beat Southampton at St Mary's last weekend, will hope to record back-to-back victories for the first time this season. A defeat of Leeds would also be Town's first win of 2005/06 on a day other than a Saturday.

Leeds boss Kevin Blackwell will have to choose between strikers Rob Hulse and Richard Cresswell, Hulse having returned from a one-match ban. The Whites' extensive striking options have been reduced with one-time England man Michael Ricketts leaving for a loan spell at Burnley.

Defender Matthew Kilgallon is sidelined with a knee injury and midfielder Eirik Bakke has a hamstring problem which may keep him out.

Tuesday's referee is Phil Crossley from Kent who has shown 29 yellow and two red cards in 11 games this season. Crossley last took control of the Blues in the 2-1 victory over Wolves in August 2004.

Squad: Barron, Currie, De Vos, Garvan, Haynes, Horlock, Magilton, McDonald, Lee, Naylor, Price, Proudlock, Richards, Sito, Supple, Westlake, Wilnis.

Photo: Action Images

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