Town will almost certainly be without striker Jon Walters for Saturday’s trip to second-bottom Plymouth. Walters, who has recently skippered the side, sprained his ankle in Tuesday’s draw with Watford and manager Roy Keane expects him to miss out.
The Town manager said: "Jon is very doubtful but we will make a final decision later this morning.
"He won't train today and when you don't train the day before a match it's always a problem at this level.
"He's probably a few days off being fit and we don't want to risk him, as much as we will miss him because he's one of our leaders."
Keane says he has an idea of the team he will field at Home Park, but has made no decision on who will captain this side in Walters’s likely absence and with Alex Bruce having been out of the starting line-up in recent weeks.
Loan keeper Asmir Begovic will continue in goal with full-backs Liam Rosenior and David Wright having impressed in recent games and set to keep their places.
Bruce could come back into the side for Tommy Smith, although aside from the error which led to the Watford goal, the youngster has impressed since coming into the side. Gareth McAuley, along with midfielders Grant Leadbitter and Carlos Edwards, might be a candidate to wear the captain’s armband if Walters and Bruce are both out of the side.
Leadbitter will continue in the centre of midfield, probably with Liam Trotter, while Edwards, 31 on the day of the game, will be looking to continue the excellent form he showed against Watford on the right of midfield.
Lee Martin struggled to make an impact against the Hornets and was replaced at half-time. The ex-Manchester United midfielder will probably drop to the bench against one of his former loan clubs with Alan Quinn perhaps coming back into the side, while Jaime Peters is another option.
Up front, with Walters injured and Connor Wickham away with the England U17s, Keane is likely to choose two from Pablo Couñago, Jon Stead and Tamás Priskin.
Stead will probably get a recall after scoring twice for the reserves in midweek, probably alongside Couñago, unless Keane decides the Spaniard isn’t up to three games in a week, in which case Priskin would start.
Keane says academy striker Ronan Murray may travel as cover: "We’re not afraid to do that. A lot of young players are doing well, but Steady’s missed out recently and Priskin, so we’ve got some good experienced replacements ready.”
The Town manager has been pleased with recent performances and is determined to finally get that first league win at the 14th time of asking: "The signs have been better the last few weeks but, of course, we need victories.
"We don’t want any sympathy from anyone from outside the club. We need to stay focused and get that victory and hopefully it will come tomorrow.
"I’m not enjoying where we are and we know it’s a challenge. I don’t think anyone at the club has ever been on a run like this, players at their previous clubs included.”
With Plymouth second-bottom, Keane isn’t expecting the prettiest of games: "People will look at where they are in the table and class it as a six-pointer. But I'm pretty sure that if we win we'll still only get three on the board.
"Plymouth are fighting for their lives and it might not be set up as a classic game of football, but if we play with the same freedom and expression as the other night we'll have a very good chance.”
The Pilgrims could recall midfielder or central defender Kari Arneson after he recovered from a torn hamstring, but defenders Chris Barker (calf) and Reda Johnson (knee) and striker Bradley Wright-Phillips (knee) are all set to miss out.
Argyle boss Paul Sturrock says he is un unfamiliar territory with his side 23rd in the table with a record of won one, drawn one and lost four at home so far this season: "If you look at my CV over the years, it is the first time I've ever tasted this kind of scenario, apart from the first year I was involved in management. Sheffield Wednesday was a different predicament.
"It's not nice. No manager likes to be criticised. No manager likes to be booed. No manager likes to be in the position we are at this football club. He [Keane] is a strong character.
"This is where we are and it's important that we dig deep to get ourselves out. He maybe has a wee bit more money to spend, but it's not a position any manager likes to be in, but that's football.
"My job is to get us out of this. I am a realist to know we're probably not going to get out of the bottom ten this season, unless we go on an unbelievable run.
"I am very confident that the players are competent enough to take us well away from the relegation tussle, starting, hopefully, on Saturday."
Town have had the edge over the Pilgrims over the years, winning 19 games (18 in the league), losing 10 (10) and drawing 14 (14).
Last season, the sides played out a January 0-0 draw at Portman Road, while a year ago this Sunday the Blues won 3-1 at Home Park, Owen Garvan scoring twice and Kevin Lisbie adding the third. Craig Cathcart, who was in the Watford side which faced Town on Tuesday, scored the Argyle goal.
Injured midfielder David Norris, who was sent off in last year’s corresponding fixture, joined the Blues from Plymouth in January 2008, while Lee Martin was on loan with the Pilgrims in 2007/08, scoring two goals in 10 starts and two sub appearances. Town chief scout Steve McCall was a player, coach and caretaker-manager at Plymouth.
Legendary Town striker Paul Mariner joined Plymouth, who he played for before his spell with the Blues, as a coach last week from MLS side the New England Revolution. No current Plymouth player has featured for Town, aside from ex-loanee Simon Walton, who is on loan at Crewe.
Saturday’s referee is Simon Hooper from Swindon, who has shown 28 yellow and no red cards in 11 games so far this season. Hooper, who joined the National List of referees in 2008, has not previously officiated in a Town game and will be taking control of only his fourth Championship match.
Squad from: Begovic, Lee-Barrett, Rosenior, D Wright, Delaney, McAuley, Smith, Bruce, Balkestein, Trotter, Leadbitter, Edwards, Peters, Quinn, Martin, Colback, Healy, Couñago, Stead, Priskin, Murray.