Town boss Mick McCarthy is set to continue his policy of sticking by the keeper in possession of the shirt when Dean Gerken returns from injury with Bartosz Bialkowski having been outstanding in his absence.
Gerken, the Blues' number one for most of the season, is expected to be fit ahead of next Tuesday’s game at home to Hull City, having missed the last three matches with a shoulder injury sustained in the closing minutes at Birmingham.
Having been Town's man of the match in the 1-0 loss at QPR a week previously, Bialkowski was again the Blues' outstanding performer during Saturday’s 2-1 defeat at Bristol City, making one save which drew comparisons with the famous Gordon Banks stop from Pele during the 1970 World Cup, with manager Mick McCarthy hailing his performance "magnificent”.
"I’m sort of revisiting a story from the last time when Gerks got in and Bart had been brilliant,” McCarthy said. "It was very sad that he lost his place after the sad loss of his father.
"They’ve both given up that position through really difficult times. Gerks when he’s been carried off and his wife had just given birth and watched it on television. They’ve had tough times between them.
"But what they’ve always done is supported each other. And if one comes in and plays well then, as has been proven, I’ve left them in the team.”
Last week, Bialkowski revealed that he was close to agreeing new terms with Town - having received interest from elsewhere including China - and McCarthy says he’s very keen to keep the former Southampton and Notts County man at Portman Road.
1970 or 2016? @thegordonbanks or @Official_ITFC's @1BartMan1?
Watch all the @Football_League action from 9pm. https://t.co/QAEtOt4xem– Football On 5 (@FootballOn5) February 13, 2016
"Talks are under way, so it’s quite clear that I myself, the club and [owner] Marcus [Evans], we want to tie him down to a longer deal,” he added. "We’re very lucky, I’ve got two really good goalkeepers.”
Meanwhile, 20-year-old keeper Michael Crowe was in action for his loan club Braintree last night as they fell to a 2-0 home defeat against Boreham Wood.
Crowe, who rejoined the Iron for a second month at the end of last week, has now made six appearances for the Vanarama National League club, keeping three clean sheets.