Town are set to name a same-again back four for the 26th successive league game against Doncaster on Saturday after left-back Aaron Cresswell today dispelled fears that he may have had to sit out the clash.
Cresswell, 24, missed the last half-hour of Tuesday’s 2-0 win at Huddersfield, Tyrone Mings taking over, but has confirmed he will be in his usual place at Portman Road this weekend after recovering from a groin problem.
He said: "It’s all right. It was more or less the same thing that I had pre-season and I didn’t want to make anything worse. It was more of a precautionary thing to come off and I was in the next day. I’ve had ice on it today and it feels a lot better, so I should be okay.”
Cresswell also took the opportunity to praise deputy Mings, adding: "He’s been waiting all season and every time he’s come in he’s done very well. If I’m injured it’s not a problem with him going in.”
Town are level with Brighton and Bournemouth, sitting between them in eighth on goal difference, two points adrift of sixth-placed Reading, with only five games left to play in the current campaign.
Helping to seal a play-off finish, with the prospect of a return to the Premier League for the first time since 2002, would cap what has already been a memorable season for Cresswell.
The Scouser has only failed to start seven of Town’s 141 games since he arrived from Tranmere almost three years ago, his absences only down to injury and suspension.
He is also alongside Town nemesis David Nugent of Leicester and Nottingham Forest midfielder Andy Reid as the joint leader when it comes to Championship assists — the trio are all on 13 — and he recently finished ninth in a list of the best players in the division compiled after managers had all submitted their votes.
Meanwhile, Wigan are reported to be keen to send former Blues loanee Ryan Tunnicliffe back to Fulham early from his current loan spell at the DW Stadium.
Latics boss Uwe Rosler is said to be unhappy with the 21-year-old after he reacted angrily to being substituted and with his attitude in training.
Current Cottagers manager Felix Magath is understood to have said he won’t take Tunnicliffe back until next week and has reportedly already told the player, who only joined Fulham from Manchester United in January, signing a three-and-a-half-year deal, that he can leave in the summer, Magath's predecessor Rene Meulensteen having signed him.
If Tunnicliffe is available in the close season Town boss Mick McCarthy may well be interested in bringing him back to Portman Road — he tried to re-sign him on loan prior to his move to Wigan — but the player’s Premier League wages are likely to prove a stumbling block.