Town will be without striker Billy Clarke for the visit of Leeds United on Saturday. The Irishman aggravated his ankle injury in the 2-2 draw at Cardiff City last week.

Midfielder Gavin Williams is also a doubt having only recently returned to action after his groin operation, but top scorer Alan Lee is back after a one-match ban.

Jim Magilton is likely to continue with Lewis Price in goal and with Dan Harding and Alex Bruce at full-back and Jason De Vos and Richard Naylor in the centre of the defence.

If Williams misses out, Magilton could turn to either Matt Richards or Jaime Peters for one of the two wide roles, with Gary Roberts swapping flanks as the game progresses. Sylvain Legwinski and Owen Garvan will be in the centre.

Up front, Jon Macken did his cause no harm at Cardiff, while Danny Haynes also impressed. With Lee returning after his ban, Magilton could prefer to look to his two senior strikers with Haynes utilised from the bench in the second half.

Magilton says that Leeds will be pleased that Town have laid a new surface since their previous home match: “They'll come here, with the new pitch laid, but we'll be looking to build on the good performance at Cardiff last week.”

The game sees Dan Harding and Ian Westlake play against the clubs they left over the summer. Magilton says the switch has worked out well for both parties: “They really fancied Westy and we needed a left-back. I felt it was a good deal all round, particularly for Westy as he seemed to be a little bit stuck in a rut and needed a change.”

Westlake is likely to be back in Dennis Wise's side having missed last week's game with Burnley through suspension. The Clacton-born player is hopeful of a good welcome from his old fans: "I like to think I will get a nice reception. Everyone supported me well when I was there, so hopefully they will give me a nice one."

Leeds could call on midfielder Kevin Nicholl after knee surgery, while striker Robbie Blake is a doubt with a hamstring strain. Defenders Matthew Kilgallon (ankle) and Gary Kelly (back) and midfielder Gylfi Einarsson (hip) are unlikely to be included in the squad.

Frontman Richard Cresswell has a knee injury which is requiring injections, while former England midfielder Steve Stone is expected to announce his retirement from the game in the next few days.

There will be a minute's silence and a prayer read by the Bishop of Ipswich, the Rt Reverend Richard Lewis, prior to kick-off as a mark of respect for the five women recently murdered in the Ipswich area.

Saturday's referee is Keith Stroud from Hampshire, who has shown 48 yellow and two red cards in 18 games this season. Stroud was last at Portman Road only a month ago when he took charge of the 2-0 defeat to Sheffield Wednesday.

Squad: Bruce, Casement, De Vos, Garvan, Harding, Haynes, Legwinski, Lee, Macken, Moore, Naylor, Peters, Price, Richards, Roberts, Supple, Walton, Williams.

Photo: Action Images

Ipswich Town Polls