Boss Mick McCarthy is delighted to have midfield linchpin Cole Skuse back in training, the 28-year-old having missed the last two games with the bug which has also laid low Teddy Bishop and Jay Tabb.
While Bishop remains on the sidelines and will miss Saturday’s trip to Millwall, Skuse and Tabb should be OK to return to the Blues’ midfield at the Den.
"He does give you composure, he’s very measured in what he does, Skusey,” McCarthy said. "He helps control the tempo of the game for us. Just watching him in training, you realise how important he is to us.
"Whether the results would have been different or not, I don’t know because when you start talking about how much we’ve missed somebody it’s detrimental to the ones who have played and I don’t like doing that. Those lads haven’t done anything wrong but Skusey’s been outstanding all season.”
He hopes Bishop will be available for the trip to Brighton next Wednesday: "He won’t be playing, he’s been poorly all week. He’ll be out and hopefully will be all right for Brighton.”
Having done well against Southampton last night, Kevin Bru looks set to keep his place in the centre of midfield in the 18-year-old's absence, probably alongside Skuse.
"He has impressed whenever’s he’s come into the side,” McCarthy said. "I thought he was excellent [against the Saints]. He’s got real quality Kevin.”
McCarthy says the Mauritian international has been unfortunate not to have had a long run in the side with injuries and the form of other players both having been factors.
"Whatever it is, whether he’s been left out because I’ve changed the team or he was out because he got an injury and never got back in, and we’ve been having good results as well.
"But he has contributed to that along the way in the run that we’ve had when he came in a couple of times.”
Meanwhile, The Town boss says he rested left-back Tyrone Mings on Wednesday, pointing out that the 21-year-old is still in the early stages of his senior career.
"Tyrone was on the bench because we play Saturday-Wednesday-Saturday-Wednesday and this is his first full season,” he added. "I think he’s only played 30 league games. I wanted him fit and fresh for Saturday.
"He was very good when he came on. He’s a good player, that’s why they all keep coming, telling me how good he is.”