Striker David McGoldrick will miss Saturday’s trip to Charlton and probably the home game against Middlesbrough the following Friday due to his groin problem, but better news is that winger Ryan Fraser is closing in on a return to fitness.
McGoldrick has been out of action with the injury since before the international break and remains sidelined.
"He’s not fit, he’s not been out on the training ground now for a couple of weeks,” manager Mick McCarthy said.
"He’s still having his treatment, still having his rehab. No chance for Saturday and I think it’s unlikely we’ll be looking at him next weekend as well.”
He says the Ireland international, who missed much of the second half of the previous two seasons with injuries, is frustrated to again be out of action: "I’ll be honest with you, he does seem a bit down, but then all players do when they’re injured.
"You don’t see many of them with a big smile on their face because if you do the manager says ‘What are you smiling at? You’re injured’. That’s what used to happen anyway.
"We’re just desperate to get him back fit. Yes, we’re playing well and we look a real threat but he’s a terrific player and we need him fit.
"Everyone else is fit except The Bish [Teddy Bishop], we’re still looking after him and we’re still getting him to the point where he can come and compete and not be worried about his hamstring. Everybody else is fine.”
Loanee Fraser has been out of action since suffering a knee ligament injury while on Scotland U21 duty at the start of October but McCarthy says he’s not far from making his return to Portman Road having undergone his rehab back with his parent club Bournemouth.
"I spoke to him earlier in the week, Monday evening, and he’s done all his running, twisting and turning and he’s hoping to be back involved with the ball this week with the squad down at Bournemouth.
"I fully understand. If he was my player I wouldn’t let him go out of the door until he was 100 per cent coming here.
"Obviously the temptation is for a manager who has got somebody on loan who is as good a player as Ryan is to bring him back and say ‘Can you play?’. The player’s natural desire is to play whether he’s 100 per cent or not - ‘I’ll be OK, gaffer, I’m fine, get me out there’.
"We don’t want any of that, I want him 100 per cent. He was hoping by the end of the week having done some football but, if that’s that case, I think it’s more likely to be the end of next week that we’ll be getting him back.”