Striker David McGoldrick and midfielder Teddy Bishop are back in the Town squad ahead of Good Friday’s crucial home game against Championship leaders AFC Bournemouth, but Jonny Parr and Kevin Bru are both doubts.
Full-back or midfielder Parr suffered a hamstring injury in the Bolton game, while midfielder Bru picked up a calf problem at Watford and was forced to miss international duty with Mauritius. Bishop missed the Hornets match with sore shins.
"Jonny Parr and Kevin Bru are both struggling, but Teddy Bishop’s fine,” manager Mick McCarthy said.
Better news is that McGoldrick and Darren Ambrose are back in training with the striker appearing likely to be amongst the subs against the Cherries, one of his former loan clubs.
"They’ve both been out, they’ve both trained very well, they trained today,” McCarthy added. "We’ve got games coming thick and fast so we need all the players back and it’s good to have those two back.
"They’ve a chance of being involved, within the squad, although it’s probably too early for Darren. He trained and then he had a little setback but he was back out today. Didzy’s been looking good. We’ll see. He’ll be in the squad.”
The Blues boss says it’s been frustrating for McGoldrick, who has been out of action with a thigh injury since the Rotherham game almost two months ago.
"He’s been gutted and I guess everybody connected with the club has a little bit,” he added. "I hate to stress on one player if he’s out because the other players who come in are important but he has been a real talismanic player for us when he’s in.
"He’s been such a talented player, Leicester came and bid huge money for him in the summer, that told you what other people think of him.
"To lose him was really tough and, of course, him and Murph have had a great rapport over the last two seasons. Hopefully, we’ll get him back for the next two games and it’ll be great.”
McCarthy has added Zeki Fryers - who will start at left-back in place of Tyrone Mings who is suspended for two games having reached 10 bookings - and Jonny Williams on loan from Crystal Palace and the Wales international is also likely to be on the bench.
"He’ll be involved but not as a starter,” the Town manager confirmed. "If you put him in as a starter he’d probably end up having to come off.
"As a substitute he’s got that happy knack, that great ability that he can come on and turn a game. He’s in the squad and we’ll see.
"He’s a bit like Didzy coming back, he’s a really talented player. Do you get the best out of them if they’re starting games when it’s a bit harem-scarem? When it gets stretched a bit those kinds of players get a bit more room.
"We will have to be patient with him and be careful with him because what we don’t want to do is get him injured.”
As for his goalkeepers, McCarthy says Bartosz Bialkowski will keep his place ahead of Dean Gerken, who was starting until he was knocked unconscious at Middlesbrough.
"I haven’t given it too much thought,” he said. "Bart’s been in, we’ve won a two games, he stays in the team.”
McCarthy is delighted that Noel Hunt is making good progress as he recovers from his knee injury.
"I hope he is fit before the end of the season and I hope for him because he’s out of contract,” he said.
"He’ll want to get training and to be playing if he can and, of course, if we extend our season by being in the play-offs and maybe the play-off final he’d be a nice one to have fit for us.”
Luke Hyam returned to training after the knee injury he suffered in January before the international break but has subsequently suffered a setback.
Meanwhile, McCarthy confirmed that trialists Kevin O’Connor and Dario Zanatta, who featured for the U21s on Monday, are moving on without being offered terms.