Midfielder Emyr Huws will continue his recovery from the achilles injury which has prevented him from featuring for the first team this season when the U23s face Aston Villa in the Premier League Cup at Portman Road this evening (7pm).
Huws, who has been withdrawn from the Wales squad playing friendlies against France and Panama during the international break, is joined in a strong U23s squad by Dean Gerken, Myles Kenlock and Danny Rowe, while 18-year-old Australian striker Ben Folami will be looking to add to his impressive early season goal tally of seven.
The 24-year-old former Cardiff man played the full 90 minutes of last Monday's 1-1 U23s draw with Colchester. Speaking last week, manager Mick McCarthy said Huws could return to the first team squad for the trip to Hull City after the international break.
Gerard Nash’s U23s won their opening game in this season’s Premier League Cup 1-0 at Sheffield United in September, Folami netting the goal. West Brom are the other team in Group E.
The Blues went out at the group stage last year when they again faced the Baggies - who they beat 2-1 at home and drew 0-0 with away - as well as Liverpool and Huddersfield.
The competition, which replaced the U21 Premier League Cup last season, emulates the format of the Champions League with 32 teams involved in the group stage and the top two in each going through to the last 16.
From there the ties will be one-off knockout games with extra-time and penalties if required. Last year’s competition was won by Swansea.
Only the Cobbold Stand will be open for this evening’s game with prices £3 for adults and £1 for concessions with season ticket holders and members admitted for free.
U23s: Gerken, D Crowe, Kenlock, Woolfenden, Webber, Huws, McLoughlin, McKendry, Rowe, Folami, Morris. Subs: M Crowe, Clements, Dobra, McGavin, Lankester.