Boss Jim Magilton will have to decide whether to bring back Owen Garvan and Jon Walters for Sunday's East Anglian derby at Carrow Road (Sky Sports One, 1pm). Garvan has been suffering with flu, while Walters has a thigh injury.

Both players missed last week's draw with Sheffield United but were back in training today. Magilton, who has also been affected by Garvan's flu bug, says both players will be carefully assessed before a decision is made: "Owen was very ill earlier this week with a virus so we will be watching him closely, while Jon is being treated with kid gloves as we want to ensure he recovers fully from his thigh problem and no chances will be taken.

"But they will both be in contention and so will Danny Haynes, who took a knock in the friendly at Tottenham on Wednesday but should be OK.”

No other players have been seriously affected by the flu bug, although Magilton admits there are one or two minor sniffles amongst the squad.

If fit, both Garvan and Walters may well come back into the starting line-up, Garvan in his central midfield role. Walters could well be used up front alongside Pablo Couñago with Jon Stead failing to impress against the Blades last week.

Kevin Lisbie will also be hoping for a recall up front after netting in the reserves friendly at Spurs, while derby specialist Danny Haynes will probably be on the bench.

At the back, the Blues are unlikely to be changed with Richard Wright in excellent form in goal. Moritz Volz and David Wright are set to continue as the full-backs with Alex Bruce once again likely to get the nod ahead of Richard Naylor alongside Gareth McAuley in the centre.

David Norris and Darren Ambrose will probably keep their wide midfield roles with Veliche Shumulikoski looking like a permanent fixture in the centre. If Garvan fails to make it, Tommy Miller could keep his place, while Iván Campo will be in the squad.

Magilton says Town need to concentrate on playing their natural game: "The occasion will motivate the players and my job will be easy. I will just have to ensure that they are focused and the team that strings the most passes together and shows more composure in the hurly-burly of the derby is the team that will be the most likely to win.”

Norwich find themselves fourth from bottom on 20 points going into the derby with a home record of won three, drawn three and lost four. Boss Glenn Roeder has called on the home fans to create an atmosphere he says helped his side during the second half of last season's corresponding fixture: "Since I've been here, I've experienced some excellent atmospheres inside Carrow Road but that particular game was electric.

"There was a buzz about the place you don't normally get at other games, even when we went 2-0 down the crowd stayed with us because they knew how well we'd played and how unfortunate we were to be 2-0 down.

"I've never been involved with a team which got a standing ovation at half-time at 2-0 down, and the fans played their part that day. We came out in the second half and really attacked Ipswich in the manner that we had in the first half and the only difference was we deservedly put a couple of goals back and in the end we were unfortunate not to have won the game.

"A win would make a big difference to fans' lives. Here in East Anglia, Norwich fans have to work alongside Ipswich supporters, and it's important for their credibility Norwich have a victory over Ipswich to make their lives a little bit more enjoyable. It will be the same feeling running amongst Ipswich supporters, it's the whole scenario of derby football against your local rivals."

Current Blues David Wright and Kevin Lisbie both spent time on loan at Carrow Road prior to joining Town, while Alex Bruce was born in Norwich during his father's time as a player with the Canaries. Specialist skills coach Steve Foley and goalkeeper-coach James Hollman both had spells with the Canaries before moving to the Blues.

Norwich midfielder Robert Eagle was a schoolboy with Town before being released, but has not featured for the Canaries this season and is unlikely to be involved.

Historically Town have much the better record in East Anglian derbies, winning 39 (37 in the league), losing 33 (27) and drawing 17 (14).

Last season the Blues defeated the Canaries 2-1 at Portman Road with Danny Haynes again scoring the winner after Canary loanees Ched Evans and Alex Pearce had hit the net, the latter at the wrong end.

Earlier in the season, Town squandered a two-goal half-time lead to draw 2-2 at Carrow Road in Glenn Roeder's first game in charge, Alan Lee and Pablo Couñago scoring for Town with Norwich grabbing a point via Jamie Cureton and an Owen Garvan own goal.

Town have a good record on Norfolk turf in recent years with the Canaries without a derby win on home soil in four years.

In addition to being live on Sky in the UK, some US-based fans can also watch the game. Details here. The match may also be available in other parts of the world.

Sunday's referee is Lee Probert from Wiltshire. The Premier League official has shown 35 yellow and two red cards in 14 games so far this season. His last Town match was the 2-1 defeat at Watford earlier in the season when he booked Iván Campo and Moritz Volz.

Likely squad: R Wright, Supple, D Wright, Volz, Thatcher, McAuley, Bruce, Naylor, Balkestein, Shumulikoski, Garvan, Miller, Campo, Norris, Ambrose, Quinn, Walters, Couñago, Lisbie, Stead, Haynes.

Photo: Action Images

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