Town boss Mick McCarthy has made three changes to his side for this afternoon’s home game with Charlton. Top scorer David McGoldrick, Frank Nouble and Luke Hyam drop to the bench with Paul Taylor, Paul Anderson and Jay Tabb returning to the XI.

Taylor is making his first Blues league start since September 2012 and only his fourth since signing from Peterborough for an initial £1.5 million a month earlier.

McCarthy, who had fielded the same side in the previous five games, looks set to switch back to 4-4-2 with the Addicks set to employ a similar system.

Town: Gerken, Chambers (c), Berra, Smith, Cresswell, Anderson, Skuse, Tunnicliffe, Tabb, Murphy, Taylor. Subs: Loach, Mings, Edwards, Hyam, Wordsworth, Nouble, McGoldrick.

Charlton: Alnwick; Wiggins, Solly, Wood, Morrison (c), Wilson, Stewart, Cousins, Stephens, Sordell, Kermorgant. Subs: Hamer, Evina, Dervite, Jackson, Church, Pritchard, Cook.

Photo: Action Images via Reuters