Skipper Luke Chambers and midfielder Toumani Diagouraga have been ill and striker Freddie Sears has been nursing a groin problem but manager Mick McCarthy is "hopeful and pretty certain" all three will be available for Sunday’s East Anglian derby against Norwich City at Carrow Road (Sky Sports Two from 11.30am, KO midday).
"We’ve a few bumps and bruises and tired limbs from the games we’ve just come through,” McCarthy said.
"Chambo was ill earlier in the week, but was in today. Toums, he’s poorly and he’s gone home today and we’ll have to see how he is, there’s been a bit of a bug going around. All the other little bumps and bruises and tired limbs, I’ll think they’ll all be OK.
"Freddie Sears hasn’t trained, he’s had a bit of a groin from probably coming back not having been playing and the shift he put in last week. But I’m hopeful and pretty certain they’ll all be OK.”
Also among those suffering a minor niggle is Teddy Bishop, who suffered a groin problem in the 3-0 U23s win at Crystal Palace on Monday.
McCarthy admits he has decisions to make in what’s again likely to be a three-man central midfield with Diagouraga available having been ineligible against his parent club Leeds last week, Cole Skuse having started alongside Emyr Huws and Grant Ward.
"They’ve all played well,” the Town boss reflected. "Skusey’s been ever-present since walking through the door. Emyr Huws, along with Toums, has been outstanding, and one of the standout performers recently has been Wardy having gone and played in the centre. It’s a tough one.”
Asked whether this is the first time in his time at Town that Skuse hasn't necessarily been an automatic choice, McCarthy responded: "Who says he’s not an automatic choice?"
Before adding: "It’s serious competition but that still doesn’t mean he’s not an automatic choice. Bart’s had serious competition from Gerks but he’s made himself an automatic choice because he’s played ever so well.
"But you only have to let your guard down and not play well. However, I can’t honestly hand on heart say Skusey’s done that, he’s been terrific. But it is a difficult decision because they’ve all played well.”
McCarthy similarly has options at right wing-back with Jordan Spence and Josh Emmanuel both having impressed.
"Isn’t it lovely?” he added. "It’s only a month ago when [the media] were asking me the names of the subs on the bench as [they] didn’t know them.
"It makes a big difference, it makes it harder picking the team, it makes it harder picking the squad, it certainly makes it difficult if any of those players have to sit in the stand and watch the game.
"But it’s better for me and it’s better for the team and better for the club that we’ve now got that level of players competing to play.”
He says he’s yet to pick his team: "Even if I had made the decisions I wouldn’t tell anybody as yet because you do that and you find out one of them injured and you’ve disappointed the other one who has got to come back.
"The lads are off tomorrow and I’ll sort that out on Saturday. I give myself plenty of time to think about it.”
McCarthy confirmed that Ipswich-born midfielder Luke Hyam will travel with the squad for the first time since returning from his knee injury having played his second U23s match at Palace, a game in which January signing Danny Rowe scored.
"He scored a really good goal and played well, Danny,” McCarthy continued. "He’s come from three days a week training with a slight injury but we’re really pleased with him, he’s doing very, very well. He’ll be on the bus.”
Steven Taylor (hamstring), Jonny Williams (shoulder), Adam Webster (ankle), Dominic Samuel (broken toe) and Giles Coke (knee) all remain sidelined with injury while Tom Lawrence is suspended for a second game having amassed 10 bookings.
Norwich are hopeful on right-back Ivo Pinto and midfielder Steven Naismith, who have trained this week after knocks.
But Youssouf Mulumbu (thigh) remains a doubt and Nelson Oliveira (foot), Graham Dorrans (knee) and Louis Thompson (achilles) remain unavailable.