Boss Mick McCarthy has praised "model professional" Tommy Smith for the way he reacted to being left out of his XI earlier in the season.
Smith, 24, a regular starter since McCarthy’s second game as Town manager two years ago, was dropped in September to accommodate Jonny Parr coming in at right-back but has since won back his place in the side.
"He’s been great,” McCarthy said. "I think when he got back in for the one game [Blackburn at home] and was then left out, that irked him somewhat but he still managed to keep his counsel and do things right and be the model professional.
"I’ve had the same discussion with Jonny Parr. He played at Charlton and I said to him ‘I’m not going to sit here and try and make any excuses for not playing you and tell you that you could have done this, you could have done that better.
"‘That is my preferred back four for the Leeds game. There’s not a lot you can do. There’s not a lot I can say to you to make you feel any better.
"'But be ready to go [when you’re needed] like Tommy Smith was because he got back in and he’s been in ever since.’”