New loanee Callum Connolly has been handed his Blues debut in this afternoon’s game at QPR.
On-loan Everton man Connolly looks set to line-up at right-back with Dominic Iorfa joining Jordan Spence at the centre of the defence and Jonas Knudsen returning to left-back.
Manager Mick McCarthy could opt to start in a 4-4-2 system with Martyn Waghorn on the left, Grant Ward on the right and Cole Skuse and Flynn Downes in the middle with Joe Garner partnering David McGoldrick up front.
Alternatively, the Blues could start 4-3-3 with Garner, McGoldrick and Waghorn up front.
Bersant Celina, who is celebrating his 21st birthday today, is on the bench alongside Freddie Sears and Myles Kenlock, as is Tom Adeyemi for the first time since his summer move to the Blues.
QPR make three changes with Jack Robinson, Alex Baptiste and Pawel Wszolek replacing Steven Caulker, Darnell Furlong and Matt Smith.
QPR: Smithies, Bidwell, Onuoha (c), Freeman, Washington, Scowen, Mackie, Robinson, Baptiste, Luongo, Wszolek. Subs: Lumley, Furlong, Manning, Smith, Osayi-Samuel, LuaLua, Wheeler.
Town: Bialkowski, Connolly, Iorfa, Spence, Knudsen, Skuse (c), Downes, Ward, Waghorn, McGoldrick, Garner. Subs: Gerken, Celina, Adeyemi, Rowe, Sears, Kenlock, Woolfenden. Referee: Andy Davies (Hampshire).