Assistant manager Martyn Pert says right-back Harry Clarke trained well yesterday and could get some minutes in Wednesday’s Carabao Cup first-round tie against Bristol Rovers at Portman Road.
Clarke missed much of pre-season with an achilles injury he had been managing since last season but returned to training last week. The former Arsenal man would have missed Sunday’s season opener at Sunderland regardless of injury as he was suspended following his red card at Fleetwood on the final day of last season.
"He’s training, he trained yesterday, trained well yesterday and he’s had some issues that we know about but he seemed pretty happy yesterday,” Pert said at today’s pre-match press conference at Portman Road with the players set to train on the new pitch this morning.
"A chance for him to maybe get some minutes, we’ll see how he does today. We take each day as it comes and he obviously had a few weeks off, so we’ll see how he goes.”
Pert says no new injuries emerged from Sunday’s hard-fought win at the Stadium of Light: "No, no, even though it was a demanding and tough game, everyone seems relatively OK.
"A few lads came in to do the recovery that they need and I think the majority will get out onto the pitch today and have a little session. Obviously it will be lighter for some than others.”
Town seem likely to make a significant number of changes, probably the whole XI, with Stoke City’s visit to Portman Road on Saturday.
"It’ll be a decision the manager makes, but there will be changes definitely, because it was such a tough game at the weekend and we’ve got another big game on Saturday, so there will definitely be some changes,” Pert added.
"And particularly with the time added-on, it’s an extra demand. I think statistically, I might be wrong, but I think in terms of the running it was more than we’ve ever done, probably because the added time, because you’re playing literally a period of extra-time.”
The game could see the likes of keeper Cieran Slicker and midfielder Jack Taylor make their Blues debuts.
"Cieran’s trained well, we’ll see what the manager decides later on in the day, I suppose,” Pert continued. "Taylor? Possibly.”