Danny Haynes faces a late fitness test ahead of Saturday's home game with Bristol City. Haynes missed Tuesday's trip to Sheffield United due to an ankle injury sustained after coming on as a sub in last Sunday's East Anglian derby.

The England U19 international will take his regular pace on the bench if fit, being given the chance to make his usual impact in the second half.

Boss Jim Magilton is certain to make changes from the side which lost 3-1 at Bramall Lane on Tuesday. The Town manager will move back to the 4-4-2 formation which has seen the Blues to 10 successive home victories.

Neil Alexander will keep his place in goal with Dan Harding and David Wright the full-backs. Jason De Vos, who says he is now over his long-term foot problems, is likely to be partnered by Alex Bruce. The former Birmingham man appeared to be the man at fault for the Blades' first goal on Tuesday, but is unlikely to be dropped after only one game back in the side. Richard Naylor is out for a month, having slipped a disc in his neck.

Midfield is the area where Magilton has most of his decisions to make. Sylvain Legwinski will probably not be considered fit enough to make three starts in seven days, so Owen Garvan is likely to return. Tommy Miller is likely to get the nod ahead of Liam Trotter for the other central role, while Jon Walters will continue on the right.

Billy Clarke was left out of the 16 in South Yorkshire and in his absence Gary Roberts put in his most promising performance of the season on the left of midfield and is likely to keep his place.

Gavin Williams is back in full training and the Blues are hopeful that the Welsh international could be ready for a return to the first team at Cardiff City in a fortnight's time. Williams has been sidelined since damaging ankle ligaments in the pre-season friendly with Panathinaikos.

Up front, Pablo Couñago will return alongside Alan Lee, while Haynes will be given his opportunity to shine in the second half if his ankle is OK, with Clarke the alternative on the bench if the pacy striker fails to make it.

Magilton says he expects a difficult match: "Bristol City have probably surprised a lot people, but certainly not themselves. They look a good team and are similar to Colchester last season. A lot of their lads have come up through the ranks and divisions together, and enjoyed that success together - Bristol City are the same.

"Gary Johnson has done a great job everywhere he's gone. He gets his team playing football and this will be our toughest game of the season so far, I have absolutely no doubt about that.

"They've given teams lots of problems away from home and retain the ball very well. They are a well balanced side with some very good players.

"I expect a real tough game, but we're at home. We face a two-week break after Saturday and it's important we go into this game very positive, angry after our defeat on Tuesday, and determined to do all we can to get a result."

Bristol City boss Gary Johnson says his side are yet to be overawed by anyone they've faced since their promotion from League One: "We haven't been fazed by any games yet and that's how we should approach this one.

"We should have nothing to fear, nothing to lose as far as the opposition is concerned. We know we have a game that we can take to the opposition.

"We've shown both home and away that we're capable of causing teams at this level a problem and that's what we've got to try and keep doing.

"Ipswich are on a good run and play good football, so we're all looking forward to this game."

Johnson was a big fan of Sir Bobby Robson's Town side: "I was living in Newmarket at the time and Ipswich isn't too far away from there.

"I remember Eric Gates, Alan Brazil, Paul Mariner and John Wark were all big racing fans and Newmarket was the home of racing, so I used to see them a lot.

"I was also good friends with the goalkeeper Paul Cooper and I saw them play a few times. They were always a good footballing team and I've picked up my game and philosophy from teams like the one that Bobby Robson put together.

"Jim Magilton has kept that tradition and tomorrow's game should be a good one to watch for the spectator."

Bristol City have no injury concerns aside from long-term absentee Steve Brooker and are likely to field a 4-4-1-1 formation with Adriano Basso in goal, Bradley Orr at right-back, Jamie McAllister on the left and with Liam Fontaine and Louis Carey in the centre.

In midfield, Ivan Sproule will be on the right with Michael McIndoe on the left, while Marvin Elliott and Newmarket-born manager's son Lee Johnson will be in the centre.

David Noble — scorer of a spectacular goal for Arsenal reserves at Portman Road a few years back - is likely to play between the midfield and lone striker Darren Byfield unless former Swansea man Lee Trundle joins the ex-Millwall man up front.

The last fixtures between the clubs came in the 1998/99 season with the Blues doing the double over the Robins as they dropped down a division. A Richard Naylor goal was the difference between the sides at Ashton Gate, while at Portman Road David Johnson scored twice and James Scowcroft once, with Ade Akinbiyi replying for the visitors.

TWTD issue 89 will be on sale via our sellers around the ground prior to kick-off. Elements of the interview with chief executive Derek Bowden have been rather overtaken by events in the last week or so, but there are still some interesting insights into the business side of the club, while there are also plenty of the usual articles, cartoons and poems.

If you can't make the game, an individual copy of the fanzine or a six-issue subscription can be bought here.

Saturday's referee is Nigel Miller from County Durham, who has shown 25 yellow and two red cards in 13 games so far this season. Miller's last Town game was the home FA Cup tie with Swansea last season in which he booked eight players, Sito and Alan Lee amongst them.

Former Town coach and skipper Tony Mowbray has been charged with improper conduct after confronting Miller after he gave a controversial goal to Sheffield Wednesday during West Brom's midweek game with the Owls.

Squad: Alexander, Bruce, Clarke, Couñago, De Vos, Garvan, Harding, Haynes, Lee, Legwinski, T Miller, Peters, Roberts, Supple, Trotter, Walters, Wilnis, Wright.

Photo: Action Images

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