Skipper Gareth McAuley and loan attacker Giovani Dos Santos have been ruled out of Saturday's trip to Sheffield United. McAuley injured a hamstring during Northern Ireland's game against Slovenia, while Dos Santos is still hampered by the groin injury he suffered in the Watford match.

Boss Jim Magilton told the club site: "We have been told [by Tottenham] that Gio is still struggling with the injury and won't be available for the weekend.

"We hope to have him back next week with a view to him being ready for the Easter games next weekend.

"We will be missing Gareth as well for the Sheffield game. He has been scanned and there are signs of a strain.

"Hopefully he won't be out too long. He will be scanned again next week and we will have more idea then."

Better news for Town is that Jon Walters could be back next week after previously being ruled out for the season with ruptured ankle ligaments.

However, another doubt for Saturday is David Wright, who has a hamstring strain but has trained, as did Moritz Volz, who is back in action after undergoing groin surgery. Tommy Miller is also training despite suffering a dead leg during the Watford match.

Town are definitely without Luciano Civelli, who is out of action until January 2010, while Jordan Rhodes has had surgery to repair his broken metatarsal and is out for 10 weeks and therefore the rest of the season.

Central defender Tommy Smith is back in training and may play a reserve game before the end of the season.

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