Boss Mick McCarthy has confirmed that midfielder Ryan Tunnicliffe will be available for Town’s New Year’s Day game against Charlton at Portman Road. The Manchester United man’s initial loan spell was due to end today and there had been concerns that the paperwork on his new deal until the end of the season might not go through in time for him to feature against the Addicks, but McCarthy says he will be involved.
The Town manager says Tunnicliffe, who celebrated his 21st birthday yesterday, briefly returned to Old Trafford yesterday: "He went back up to Manchester United to see David Moyes but he was back in here this morning, he’s back in and he’ll be signed up and ready for us for January 1st, for the Charlton game.
"He’s fine, he’s back with us. I think they all went back just to have a chat and to see what was happening and just to see their manager and see what he was thinking.
"I think they’ve all had that discussion and he’s happy with him here, he’s playing every week and he’s come back.”
Winger Stephen Hunt, who has been out with a hamstring injury, will miss the Charlton game, as will recent signing Sylvan Ebanks-Blake, but both will feature in the FA Cup tie against Preston at Portman Road on Saturday.
"Hunty’s doing fine, he trained with Andy Liddell today, he did quite a session, actually," McCarthy said. "I’d expect him to train fully on Thursday with a view to being involved on Saturday in the FA Cup.
"Everyone else is fine. Sylvan will be involved on Saturday, we’ve earmarked that for his debut and he won’t be involved, but everybody else is fine.”
McCarthy says he will weigh up whether to make changes having named the same XI for the last five games.
Meanwhile, the Blues and Sheffield Wednesday are reported to be keeping tabs on former Town loanee Massimo Lunogo, who is now with League One Swindon.
The 21-year-old was on loan with the Blues in the early stages of last season from Spurs before being sent back to White Hart Lane by Mick McCarthy soon after he took over as manager. The Australian subsequently joined the Robins for £400,000 in the summer after a loan, signing a three-year deal.
Elsewhere, Watford have been fined £5,000 by the FA after accepting misconduct charges relating to their appeal against Town's penalty in the recent 1-1 draw at Portman Road.