Central defender Alex Bruce will miss the Blues' live Sky game at Coventry City on Saturday (KO 5.20pm) after suffering a recurrence of his groin injury at Leicester on Saturday.

The Irish international was replaced by Fabian Wilnis during the 2-0 defeat at Leicester on Boxing Day and the Dutchman looks set to take his place once again.

Physio Matt Byard says Bruce will be assessed before a decision is made on whether he will be available for the West Brom game on New Year's Day: "Alex has had a scan and there is evidence of inflammation to the scar tissue following his injury at Bristol City last month.

"He will be in for treatment over the weekend and then we will take a look from there with regards to next week's fixtures."

Early speculation suggested Richard Naylor could nake a surprise start but, after being assessed in Friday training, has not been included in the travelling party. Town's longest-serving player has recently been out of action as he recovered from a slipped disc and hasn't played a first team game since the 2-0 defeat at Crystal Palace in February, having suffered a toe injury which required surgery in the summer.

The 30-year-old is yet to play a reserve game since returning to training and it would have been a risk to play him at this stage.

Also on the way back after injury is midfielder Sylvain Legwinski, who has been out of action since suffering an ankle injury in training prior to the Scunthorpe game, is closing in on a return to action. However, the Coventry game may come too soon for the Frenchman.

Boss Jim Magilton is again left pondering how to bring a stop to Town's terrible away run. The Town manager started playing 4-4-2 at Coventry on Saturday, but switched to a 4-3-3 formation after his side went two goals behind via two poorly defender set pieces.

Alan Lee and Jon Walters appeared to be the guilty men on those goals and it seems likely that Wilnis replacing Bruce will be the only change at the back, with Dan Harding and David Wright the full-backs and skipper Jason De Vos continuing in the centre.

Spanish full-back Sito is out after receiving a concussion in the home game with Burnley. Harding hurt his thigh at Leicester but is expected to be fit enough to start, althoughMatt Richards, back from his loan spell at Brighton, has been included in the squad as cover.

Midfield is an area in which the Blues have struggled far more away from home than at Portman Road this season. Gavin Williams has failed to hit anything like his top form since returning to the side after injury and may well drop out.

Liam Trotter is pushing for a second senior start, but would be more likely to come into the side in the centre for either Owen Garvan or Tommy Miller.

Jon Walters has been much more effective on the right this season than he has been on the left in recent weeks and could well switch back with Billy Clarke perhaps coming into the side on the other flank. The Irish youngster was one of Town's better performers at the Walkers Stadium after coming off the bench, although he will feel he should have scored his first goal of the season.

Up front, the Alan Lee-Pablo Couñago partnership has failed to hit the heights away from home, but still looks to be Magilton's best option unless he decides to use Walters up front. Lee is without a goal in open play since the Norwich game in early November and may require a rest. Danny Haynes looks likely to be on the bench, possibly alongside Jordan Rhodes.

Magilton says he is after greater application from his players than was on display at Leicester on Boxing Day: “We do need to apply ourselves more and Coventry are a side that we know we are capable of beating.

“We have been picking up points at home so we must be doing something right. There is pressure all round to do well, but at the end of the day it is the players who have to do it themselves.

“We looked as though we were waiting for things to happen at Leicester on Wednesday and our confidence was a bit low. We have a good record at Coventry and in front of the TV cameras there will be no hiding place.”

Former Blue Andy Marshall will be in the Coventry line-up facing the Blues after receiving a recall on Boxing Day.

Coventry boss Iain Dowie, one of Jim Magilton's best friends, will be without suspended strike duo Kevin Kyle and Leon Best, while former Canary frontman Leon McKenzie is out with a knee problem.

Defenders Colin Hawkins and Marcus Hall are both long-term absentees with achilles injuries, while striker Robbie Simpson, a player watched by the Blues when at Cambridge United, midfielder Chris Birchall and defender Stuart Giddings are all on the way back to fitness but are unlikely to be involved against Town.

Town have a good record over the Sky Blues over the years, winning 34 games between the two sides (32 in the league), drawing 21 (20) and losing 19 (17). The sides' most recent encounter was at Portman Road in September when the Blues won 4-1 with Pablo Couñago netting twice and Jason De Vos and Jon Walters scoring one each. Stephen Hughes was on target for the Sky Blues.

The last clash at the Ricoh Arena came on Boxing Day last year when Town won 2-1 via goals from Jon Macken and Alan Lee. City's reply was scored by Michael Doyle. City have a poor home record this season, having lost five and drawn four up to now. Town are still without an away win in 16 matches, a run which stretches back to March.

Coventry City have declared Saturday Ladies Day at the Ricoh Arena with Town's female fans - and those pretending to be female fans — invited to take part. Women and ‘women' can purchase their tickets at half price.

Saturday's referee is Iain Williamson from Berkshire, who has shown 23 yellow cards and no reds in six games so far this season. His last Town match was the 2-1 home victory over Derby County last season in which he red-carded Alex Bruce and Rams keeper Stephen Bywater, dismissals which were both eventually overturned, and yellow-carded nine more players, three from Town: Dan Harding, Franny Jeffers and David Wright.

Squad: Alexander, Supple, Casement, Wright, De Vos, Wilnis, Harding, Haynes, Miller, Garvan, Walters, Couñago, Lee, Clarke, Rhodes, Richards, Trotter, Williams.

Photo: Action Images

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