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Three Changes as Blues Face Arsenal U21s - Ipswich Town News

Town's side for this evening’s EFL Trophy tie against Arsenal’s U21s at Portman Road has only three changes to the team which beat Bristol Rovers 3-0 in the Carabao Cup on Saturday.

Initially manager Paul Lambert made only two switches of personnel with Myles Kenlock replacing Stephen Ward, who is left out of the 18 but was training on the pitch before the match, at left-back and keeper Cornell, who joined Town after leaving Northampton last month, taking over from Tomas Holy, who drops to the bench.

However, centre-half Toto Nsiala dropped out ahead of the game, allowing Corrie Ndaba his full debut. James Wilson takes Ndaba's place on the bench.

Striker James Norwood, who played only 45 minutes of football in pre-season as he continued his rehabilitation after his groin operation in February, is on the bench having missed out on Saturday.

Again Flynn Downes is missing from the 18 having been given a few days off following the interest from Crystal Palace and his resultant transfer request, as is Kayden Jackson, who has been suffering with a groin problem and is reportedly the subject of a bid from AFC Bournemouth.

Arsenal’s U21s, who are managed by U23s head coach Steve Bould, include Norwegian-Rwandan winger George Lewis, 20, who had a trial with the Blues before joining the Gunners in the summer.

Their highest profile name is 19-year-old Folarin Balogun, who has refused a new contract and is understood to be interesting Brighton. As expected, it’s a very young side with an average age of 18 and a half.

Neither Harry Clarke nor Marcelo Flores, who both moved to the Arsenal youth set-up from the Town academy, are involved.

Town: Cornell, Chambers (c), Ndaba, Woolfenden, Kenlock, Nolan, Dozzell, Bishop, Judge, Drinan, Sears. Subs: Holy, Edwards, Norwood, Lankester, Wilson, Hawkins, Huws.

Arsenal U21: Smith, Alebiosy, Balogun, Bola, Cottrell, Lewis, McEneef, McGuinness (c), Olayinka, M'Hand, Oyegoke. Subs: Hillson, Akinola, Azeez, Cirjan, Kirk, Ogungbo. Referee: Neil Hair (Cambridgeshire).

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