Town boss Roy Keane says he expects key defender Gareth McAuley to be fit enough to face Chelsea in Sunday’s FA Cup third round tie despite limping off at half-time during the Blues’ 1-0 defeat to Nottingham Forest yesterday. McAuley was playing his second match after returning to action after undergoing achilles surgery.
Keane said: "It was a hamstring with Gareth, which was always the risk. We spoke about it on Saturday and I said that two games in three days was too much for him.
"He was in on Sunday and we left it until the day of the game. Gareth’s a good lad, considering he’s taken another chance, another risk for the club, given that the boy’s contract is up in a few months. I take my hat off to Gareth.
"But I don’t think it’s too serious. It’ll be a case of two or three days’ rest. Having said that, I thought Troy Brown was outstanding .”
The Blues boss felt the performances of Brown and Connor Wickham against Forest showed that there are talented young players making progress at Portman Road: "I thought Troy did well, I thought Connor did well.
"There are some good players coming through at the club, so it’s not all about the quick fix of getting players from outside the club.”