Blues manager Mick McCarthy says striker David McGoldrick believes he “owes us a turn” having missed most of the end of the last two seasons due to injuries.
The 27-year-old’s 2013/14 was curtailed by a knee problem sustained in the February, while the Ireland international was sidelined with a troublesome thigh injury last season, again picked up in the February. He finally returned as a late sub in the second leg of the play-off semi-final at Norwich.
Having been away with the Irish squad, he was given an additional two weeks off and returned to full training last week.
"He trained with me [last] Monday and I think that was the first time because I was joking with him, ‘Face looks familiar, can’t remember the name’, all that," McCarthy joked.
[The Cambridge friendly on Tuesday was] the first bit he’s done and he looks pretty sharp.”
McCarthy has previously commented that 2015/16 is a big season for McGoldrick, which he says is how the player himself feels about the campaign ahead rather than his own opinion.
"That wasn’t me saying that, that was him saying that,” the Blues boss added. "He thinks that. He thinks he owes us a turn because he’s missed the end of two seasons.
"And I think he’s just disappointed that everybody didn’t see him finish [those seasons], how good he was in his first season with 16 goals. Last season Murph was the star of the show, but he was always missed when he wasn’t fit.”
Meanwhile, the Blues boss had praise for his new on-loan widemen, both of whom have impressed throughout pre-season.
"Ryan Fraser was in the [Bournemouth] team which got promoted, the best team in the league last year, so maybe it’s a bit expected, he’s an excellent player.
"But I think Ainsley Maitland-Niles has just been outstanding, he’s been great.”