Town boss Mick McCarthy has confirmed that Dean Gerken will start in goal when the Blues take on Premier League Southampton in Sunday’s FA Cup third round tie at St Mary’s.
Gerken hasn’t played since losing his place to former Saint Bartosz Bialkowski having suffered a groin injury in November.
McCarthy says he’ll be making a few changes to his regular starting XI: "I will but we’ve got a squad of 20 first-team players so I’m not bringing kids in or lads who have never had a game, but there will be a few.
"Gerks will play, that’s for certain. Bart’s been outstanding but I need Gerks ready to go. Bart could get injured in training and I’d need him to play against Derby, so I’ve got to keep him in tip-top condition, so that’s one change I’ll make, but that’s hardly weakening anything, is it?”
He confirmed that loan striker Conor Sammon is available with the Irishman one of several fringe players who have found it hard to break into the team in recent weeks.
"It’s difficult for a number of players to get in the team at the moment but certainly for Conor," McCarthy added. "The two lads we’ve got playing up front have been outstanding."
The Town boss says he has a fully fit squad for the trip to Hampshire: "Everybody’s fine, a full bill of health this morning, it was great.”
McCarthy also confirmed that Darren Ambrose is available with his short-term contract up on January 10th. The Blues boss has previously said that he wants to keep the 30-year-old, who has said he would like to stay at Portman Road.