Alan Lee is expected to be fit to take his usual place in the Town starting line-up when the Blues travel to Bristol City on Tuesday evening (KO 7.45pm). The Irishman was forced off in the first half of Saturday's 0-0 at home to Barnsley due to illness.

Physio Matt Byard says Lee is very much on the mend: “Alan had a virus at the weekend and was sick before the game. He's recovering well though and has done some light training."

Lee looks likely to continue in his striking role as the Blues continue to look for their first away victory since the 2-0 win at Luton in March.

Jim Magilton will once again have to decide whether to stick with the 4-4-2 formation which has been so successful at home or switch to the 4-5-1 used on the road on a number of occasions.

Town's recent 6-0 thrashing of the Robins may well persuade Magilton to stick to 4-4-2 with Pablo Couñago retaining his place alongside Lee. If the Irishman fails to make it, Jon Walters could be moved up front from the right of midfield. Danny Haynes will once again be used from the bench.

If Lee is OK to play, Walters will continue in his usual role to again take on the side against whom he scored his recent hat-trick.

Owen Garvan is back in the squad after being rested for the Barnsley game and may return to the starting line-up. Garvan coming back into the side could see Billy Clarke drop out and Gavin Williams move to left midfield.

At the back, Dan Harding and David Wright will start as the full-backs with Jason De Vos and Alex Bruce in the centre. Richard Naylor remains Town's only player sidelined with injury, but has been told that rest will cure his back problem.

Bristol City manager Gary Johnson says his team all but picks itself at present: "The lads all played very, very well at Watford [where they won 2-1] and I've got some tricky decisions to make. Jamie McAllister isn't injured or anything, he just missed the game through suspension.

"I think 99 supporters out of 100 will know how I go about things and could probably pick the team. I try and remain consistent in how I pick the team, so I don't think it will be too difficult to work out my starting eleven."

The only switch Johnson may make, according to the Bristol City Net Centre, the ClubFanzine Robins site, is to bring back Jamie McAllister at left-back with Liam Fontaine moving to the middle and Jamie McCombe dropping to the bench.

Otherwise, it will be the side which faced Watford: Basso in goal, Fontaine at left-back, McCombe in the centre with Louis Carey and Bradley Orr, red-carded at Portman Road, on the right.

In midfield, Michael McIndoe will be on the left, Ivan Sproule on the right with Lee Johnson and Marvin Elliott in the centre. David Noble will play between the midfield and lone striker Enoch Showunmi.

Town's most recent game against the Robins was last month's 6-0 hammering at Portman Road. The Blues' last visit to Ashton Gate came in February 1999 when Richard Naylor netted the only goal of the game.

Historically, Town have had the better of Bristol City, the Blues having won 13 of the previous encounters between the sides (21 in the league), with eight (eight) having ended in draws, while the Robins have been victorious on 16 (16) occasions.

Tuesday's referee is Andy Hall from Birmingham, who has shown a worryingly high 67 yellow and six reds in 17 games this season. His last Town match was the 2-2 draw at Cardiff last season in which he booked only Gavin Williams, but awarded both sides very contestable penalties.

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

Photo: Action Images

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