Town have Jon Walters, Grant Leadbitter and Stern John back for Monday’s visit by QPR (KO 3pm). Striker Jon Stead is available for selection ahead of his appeal against his sending off at Crystal Palace.
Walters and Leadbitter, who were suspended on Boxing Day, look set to return to the midfield, while John, unavailable against his parent club on Saturday, is likely to come into the attack for his final game before his loan spell from Palace ends with Stead partnering him.
Skipper Walters will probably come back into the midfield on the right with Carlos Edwards unimpressive at Selhurst Park.
Leadbitter is likely to return to the centre of midfield with either Jack Colback or Jaime Peters making way. Dropping either would be harsh after their impressive performances at Palace, so one may move to the left for Owen Garvan. Colin Healy might also feel hard done by if left out having done well on his return to the side, while David Norris is likely to be involved as a sub.
Arran Lee-Barrett looked nervous at Palace but with no other senior keeper available until Brian Murphy formalises his move from Bohemians when the transfer window opens, the former Hartlepool man will continue in goal. The back four of David Wright, Damien Delaney, Gareth McAuley and Liam Rosenior is unlikely to be changed despite conceding three goals at Palace.
Richard Wright and Luciano Civelli remain on the sidelines with their long-term knee injuries. Civelli could be back by the end of January, while Wright is expected to be out until March.
QPR, who split with former Town boss Jim Magilton "by mutual consent” earlier in the month, will have defender Damion Stewart back from a ban, while Lee Cook, Martin Rowlands and Gavin Mahon all have knee injuries and will miss out. Former caretaker-manager Gareth Ainsworth has a calf problem.
Central defender Matt Connolly returned as a late sub in Saturday’s 2-1 home win against Bristol City after a hip injury and could be in contention for a start at Portman Road.
The Rs, now managed by former Portsmouth boss Paul Hart, are currently eighth in the Championship with an away record of won four, drawn three and lost four. Their most recent away win was at Sheffield Wednesday on November 7th. They are without a win in their last seven games against the Blues.
Other than Damien Delaney, who joined the Blues from QPR in the summer, Kevin Lisbie is the only other player currently employed by either club to have been played for the other. The striker, who is set to return from his loan spell with Colchester in January, made one start and one sub appearance during a loan spell at Loftus Road back in 2000/01, failing to score.
Town have won 26 of the previous encounters between the sides (24 in the league), Rangers 21 (19) and 18 (17) have ended in draws.
Last season, the Blues did the double over the West Londoners, the Portman Road match ending 2-0 win Jon Stead netting both goals and the Loftus Road game finishing 3-1 to Town with Stead, Pablo Couñago and Jon Walters hitting back after Samuel Di Carmine had put the home side ahead early on.
Monday’s referee is Steve Tanner from Somerset, who has shown 40 yellow and two red cards in 13 games so far this season. Tanner was recently demoted from the Select Group of referees who take control of Premier League matches to the National Group who exclusively work in the Football League.
Tanner’s most recent Town match was the 2-0 defeat at West Brom in August in which he failed to issue a single card of either colour.
Squad from: Lee-Barrett, McLoughlin, D Wright, Rosenior, Delaney, McAuley, Bruce, Smith, Leadbitter, Colback, Peters, Healy, Quinn, Walters, Edwards, Martin, Stead, John, Priskin, Couñago, Wickham.