Mick McCarthy is expecting another tough game when the Blues take on Preston North End in their FA Cup third round replay at Deepdale this evening (KO 7.45pm). As in the first game, the Town boss will field a much-changed side with six first-team squad members not travelling.

McCarthy was impressed with the Lilywhites during the 1-1 draw at Portman Road: “We knew they were no mugs when they came down here and that was proven.

“Is there a lot of difference between teams in the top six of League One pushing for the Championship and us? I’m not so sure.

“They’ve got some good players on show, Paul Gallagher, Lee Holmes, Kevin Davies, I thought they’d got a really solid midfield, Neil Kilkenny, Iain Hume playing up front.

“They’re names which have been in and around the Premier League in some cases and the Championship. I think Simon Grayson’s done very well with that squad.”

McCarthy feels bringing in several players short on match fitness partly accounted for the Blues’ under par display in the first match.

“Let me firstly give Preston some credit because I thought they were good. I played five players who hadn’t been playing and maybe that had an effect.

“I think those five that played probably dragged the rest of the team down rather than the five who had played dragging the other five up with them.

“It was difficult, they hadn’t been playing. But first and foremost, I thought Preston were excellent, I thought they deserved the draw but I needed to make the changes and I’ll be doing it again at Deepdale.”

Luke Chambers (hamstring), Aaron Cresswell (knee), Daryl Murphy (thigh), Anthony Wordsworth (tonsillitis), Cole Skuse (dead leg) and Sylvan Ebanks-Blake (hamstring) all miss the trip due to injuries but McCarthy says he would have made changes in any case.

“Possibly, Saturday’s opponents Millwall aren’t playing in the FA Cup midweek, as we are. I probably would have done the same and the ones who played in the first game, of course, have now had more football. It’s not like they’re going into the game on the back of missing five games, they’ve all played.

“But I want to win the game. I wanted to win the game last time. I don’t know how Simon Grayson will feel about it with his team and changes, they had a game on Saturday and then Tuesday they’ve got another game and they’ve got important league games coming up, having lost to Wolves on Saturday.

“He might look to make a few changes. I’m making changes but it’s going to be as strong a side as I possibly can field.”

The Town boss has confirmed that Scott Loach will start in goal, as he did in the first game, with Tommy Smith and Christophe Berra set to continue at the heart of the defence. Skipper Carlos Edwards seems likely to start at right-back with Tyrone Mings on the left.

McCarthy seems likely to go with a four-man midfield — Preston again utilised a 4-4-2 system at the weekend — with Ryan Tunnicliffe and Luke Hyam in the centre and Stephen Hunt on the left and Paul Anderson on the right.

Up front, David McGoldrick, who scored Town's goal in the first match, is likely to be partnered by Paul Taylor. Academy scholars Byron Lawrence, Kyle Hammond and Matt Clarke will join veteran striker Alan Lee on the bench.

Blues boss McCarthy knows Kevin Davies, one of Preston’s main threats and the scorer of his side’s equaliser at Portman Road, well having been on a golfing trip with him a few years ago.

“He’s excellent. I thought he played very well down here,” he said. “He’s still got plenty of energy and he’s such a good target man. You can find him at any time and when he gets it he holds it up, he brings other people into play.

"He’s a top fella. I spent a week on holiday playing golf with him, it was fantastic. He’s just a great guy, I got to know him and his family.

“We were part of a golfing week, there was a few of us and me and Kev played together all week. David Moyes and Gary McAllister were also there, so we had a good fourball. A friendship grew from that.”

Davies looks likely to start for Preston but boss Grayson is unable to call on new signing Scott Wiseman, who is not eligible having joined from Barnsley after the initial tie at Portman Road.

Striker Stuart Beavon is expected to be back in the squad having missed Saturday’s 2-0 defeat at Wolves, due to a virus.

The Blues have a poor record against the Lilywhites historically, winning nine games (eight in the league), drawing eight (seven) and losing 12 (11).

Prior to the 1-1 draw at Portman Road earlier in the month, the clubs have met in the FA Cup on two previous occasions, in February 1954 when the Lilywhites won 6-1 at Deepdale and eventually made the final, then in January 1980 when Town ran out 3-0 victors, also on Preston territory with Paul Mariner netting twice and Alan Brazil once.

Preston beat Wycombe Wanderers 1-0 away in round two, having defeated Barnet 6-0 in the first round. They are currently fourth in League One.

Tonight’s game is Town’s first FA Cup replay since the 1-0 home victory against Chester City in January 2007. This evening's winners will face Nottingham Forest at the City Ground in the fourth round on Friday 24th January with an 8pm kick-off.

Tuesday’s referee is Keith Stroud from Hampshire, who has shown 102 yellow cards and six reds in 22 games so far this season. Stroud’s most recent Town match was the 0-0 draw at Millwall last season when he booked five players, two Blues and three Lions.

Probable squad: Loach, Gerken, Edwards, Hammond, Mings, Smith, Berra, M Clarke, Hyam, Tunnicliffe, Tabb, Anderson, Hunt, Lawrence, McGoldrick, Nouble, Taylor, Lee.

Photo: Action Images

KiwiTractor added 08:47 - Jan 14 Good luck lads, give it heaps.
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bohslegend added 09:00 - Jan 14 The guys who haven't been playing need to come in and give the gaffer a selection headache. They really need to up their game for his one. Tough away match.
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bluey123 added 09:25 - Jan 14 We will loose tonight finish mid table another crap season get rid of ME and MM both are not right for this c;lub
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Kesgraveblue57 added 09:43 - Jan 14 Ipswich Town are far to big a club to worry about the FA Cup, we are going out!!
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WaffleMan added 09:47 - Jan 14 this isnt a good start, saying that it will be a tough game? its sound like we are expecting to lose to a league one side? and if we cannot beat a league one side then we are going to struggle to beat teams around us in the league? we really need a creative and goalscoring midfielder and a new RM and that could be the final peice in the jigsaw for promotion!
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Lord_Mac added 10:26 - Jan 14 >We will loose tonight finish mid table another crap season get rid of ME and MM both are not right for this c;lub< What garbage. Without either of them, we'd be in League One already - or far, far worse.
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Fat_Boy_Tim added 10:49 - Jan 14 @Waffleman, the manager will always say it's a tough game, he needs to guard against complacency from his own players and would look an idiot if they did lose after he said we were going to stuff em. @Lord_Mac, couldn't agree with you more. I think we've got a chance tonight, it is a tough game because they are a good team with a good chance of playing at championship level next season.

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Fat_Boy_Tim added 11:22 - Jan 14 Loach Edwards-Smith-Berra-Mings Tunnicliffe-Tabb-Hyam Taylor-McGoldrick-Hunt or Loach Edwards-Smith-Berra-Hunt Tunnicliffe-Tabb-Hyam Taylor-McGoldrick-Anderson
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Michael11 added 11:35 - Jan 14 What's the point in playing players like McGoldrick tonight? Give the man a night off or he's going to end up being knackered by March. Seen there's around 150 Town fans going tonight, that is outstanding dedication for such a horrible midweek game!
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TimmyH added 11:41 - Jan 14 One of the most obvious statements Mick has made this season - prediction: 1-1 and lose in extra time. We should be going full out to get through to the next round but whether that is Mick's philosophy is another thing.
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irishtim added 13:19 - Jan 14 Will be a tough game. I think we should have enough about us. Injuries have restricted Mick's options but the player's we have for tonight should be good enough. I think Mick respect's The FA cup but in fairness if he risked any of the player's with niggles & they picked up a more serious injury, we would be on his case. C'MON TOWN.
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Facefacts added 13:22 - Jan 14 I wondered why Mick didn't criticise Kevin Davies for kicking then taking advantage of Tyrone Mings being on the floor to score in the first game. I just hope for the strongest possible side Mick can put out. If your suggestions in the article are correct, then it will be a stronger side than the one that played in the first game. I won't see the game, but Preston will try to crock Paul Taylor as they know he is the danger man - then it's Alan Lee target man time. Another Tommy Smith special, and see you at the Forest.

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LordMamu added 13:35 - Jan 14 A golfing week with David Moyes. I can't actually think of anything worse.
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ipswichboi added 13:37 - Jan 14 Haha Bluey123... Who do you suggest instead? You are deluded if you think anyone can do better than MM has done so far!
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james1989 added 14:01 - Jan 14 bluey123 - ive always listened to peoples opinions on things and tried to see it from there point of view but your opinion is complete rubbish, mid table is progress from last season and to be sitting 3 points off the playoffs at this stage is amazing with our squad an credit to them, your just one of these people that will never be satsified and really need to grow up and just face up to the facts that we are not good enough to get promoted yet. kesgraveblue57 - are you stupid or something, the fa cup is a massive competition and probably one of the biggest in the world, if we are to much of a big club to worry about it why do the likes of chelsea, liverpool, man utd, man city, arsenal want to win it? we are no bigger than them! you must be drunk! just like to wish the town fans traveling up to preston tonight to have a safe trip and make lots of noise, i sadly cant go due to work but will be at millwall saturday! lets get into the 4th round COYB!!!

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townietilidie added 14:56 - Jan 14 james1989 Well said mate , couldn't agree more . Sadly we must continue to put up with the halfwits and doom mongers on here . I would like to see who else could of worked us into our current position given what has been available to work with . It may not be the prettiest football at the moment but i would rather be sitting around the play off's than the relegation zone . IMWT ... COYB !!!

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bluey123 added 15:05 - Jan 14 Lord Mac what idiot you are without Evans we would not be 82m in debt and without MM we would be watching real football not the crap some supporters pay to watch every week McCarthy and Evans OUT
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Lightningboy added 15:46 - Jan 14 We'll probably get turned over tonight and tbh it won't bother me too much. I'm glad we won this competition years ago but even I don't really care about it much these days (unless you get a decent tie). I personally think it should be moved to a midweek tournament..it just disrupts the league form as proven last weekend.
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Lightningboy added 15:49 - Jan 14 Btw..just how unimaginative are BT sport?..they've picked fulham/norwich for tonight's tv game..if fulham win,so what..if norwich win,so what?! The cup should be all about upsets..our game would've been a more imaginative choice.
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NoelTheDub added 17:56 - Jan 14 In all fairness we should think about the 150 die hard supporters who are travelling on this cold tuesday night to back our club,i very much hope the team do the buisness for them.Also the team out tonight will be strong and i think have the steel to come through again its great to be in the cup and knocking on the door of promotion.Im still not happy with MM or the way he does things but im behind the team and the fans over there tonight COYB.

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Elizabeth added 18:29 - Jan 14 Why all these ridiculous comments on here this evening.? You call yourself supporters of ITFC but all this negativity is not good. All of us have our own opinion but this is hideous ! Mick obviously has no aspirations of venturing further in the FA Cup with his team selection, but you never know in football ! Let's get behind the team and just accept we are where we are!

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Turkishblue added 18:40 - Jan 14 Bobble hats off to the Blue Army going to Preston tonight, sing up all! The wind up merchants on here today make you laugh, you wonder how long they have been supporting the town and if they have any idea about business and reality For me Ipswich to I die whatever division and in or out of the cup
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stevelincsexile added 18:44 - Jan 14 I have never heard so much doom and gloom. I honestly think we will win tonight, the likes of Taylor, Anderson, Edwards , Hunt and Mings will be out to prove a point. COYB
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Steve_ITFC_Sweden added 18:46 - Jan 14 It's going to be a tough game for Preston too. ITFC to take it on penalties a.e.t. COYB!
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portmanteau added 18:59 - Jan 14 oh for the old times when it was almost unthinkable that a club would lose a cup match home or away to a club in a lower league, such was the difference in abilities. this will go to penalties which we will win, end of. you have got to hand it to MM, not many managers could get to top six and only spend 25k. fines and penalties if you owe more than 3M and we owe 82M. dont somehow think any spending will be forthcoming for next umpteen seasons. no way we can ever repay 82M so life could be very bleak indeed. maybe FFP ought to start off with a clean sheet for everyone....

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