Frank Nouble looks set to be the man to replace injured top scorer David McGoldrick when the Blues take on league leaders Leicester at the King Power Stadium on Saturday.

Manager Mick McCarthy has ruled out Sylvan Ebanks-Blake playing from the off — “He’s not ready to start” — and has hinted that Paul Taylor will have to win a place in his side: “He’s got to get in the team and when he gets in the team he’s got play well enough to stay in it.”

McCarthy has also dismissed playing a five-man midfield against the high-flying Foxes and so Nouble seems set to line-up alongside Daryl Murphy — recalled to the Ireland squad yesterday — in place of McGoldrick, who is facing around 12 weeks on the sidelines having suffered a partial tear of the medial ligament in his right knee.

The Town boss has other decisions to make elsewhere in his side with Scott Loach having impressed in goal in place of Dean Gerken in last week’s 0-0 home draw with Blackpool.

Gerken is now over his neck problem and has been McCarthy’s favoured keeper this season, however, the Blues manager has tended to stick with players who have come into the side and done well, so Loach could well get only his second league start since August at the King Power Stadium.

Aaron Cresswell is a shoo-in at left-back, while Luke Chambers is likely to continue at right-back, despite Frazer Richardson having got an U21 match under his belt earlier in the week. Tommy Smith and Christophe Berra will continue at the heart of the defence.

McCarthy will be forced into one change from the midfield which started the Blackpool game with Luke Hyam ruled out with the hamstring problem which forced him off in the early stages until the Middlesbrough match in a fortnight’s time.

Paul Green could come in alongside Cole Skuse in the centre with Stephen Hunt likely to continue on the left, while Carlos Edwards may get the nod ahead of Paul Anderson on the right, the former Bristol City man having put in a disappointing display from the bench last week.

Alternatively, Green could start on the right with Jay Tabb or perhaps even Ryan Tunnicliffe in the centre if a loan deal to bring the Fulham midfielder back to Portman Road can be done with the same haste as the recent move for Green.

McCarthy has said all season that Leicester are the best team in the division and believes they have stepped up a level since losing in the play-off semi-finals to Watford last season.

“Jamie Vardy is probably more of a handful. He came in from Fleetwood and was an instant hit but he’s a proper player, along with David Nugent,” he said.

“Nigel Pearson’s got Danny Drinkwater and Matty James playing in the centre of the park, I think Drinkwater is probably the best midfield player in the Championship by a good stretch.

“Lloyd Dyer and Anthony Knockaert are two really top wingers. I think it’s probably the side, in the main, that lost [in the play-offs last year]: Paul Konchesky, Wes Morgan, Marcin Wasilewski, the big Polish centre-back, who I think has done really well, Ritchie De Laet and Kasper Schmeichel. Then they’ve got Liam Moore.

“Chris Wood doesn’t even get a game and he was the best centre forward in the league last year. I think they’ve just regrouped.

“I think they were as good as anybody last year, I just think they’ve taken it to a different level this year, whether that’s down to confidence or maybe being a year wiser. They’ve stuck together, they stuck with the manager, they’re just a top, top team.”

The Town boss says he relishes challenges like Saturday with few expecting the Blues to grab all three points from a fixture they lost 6-0 last season.

“I guess we’ve got everything to gain, we’ve got something to lose, but I don’t think anybody is thinking that we’re going to go up there and win,” he said. “That’s the little sprat that’s up there that we can catch.

“It would be nice and it would be nice to put on more of a show than we did last year because we got absolutely slapped. That was embarrassing.”

Town will be in their red and black away kit in which they are yet to record a victory.

The Foxes will be without left-back Paul Konchesky, who was red-carded in the 2-2 draw with Nottingham Forest in midweek, while one-time Town target Sean St Ledger (groin) and Tom Hopper (shin) are also sidelined.

Town have had the upper hand historically, winning 27 games between the sides (27 in the league), drawing 18 (17) and losing 25 (23).

Leicester are currently top of the table on 68 points, eight ahead of Burnley in second and 23 above the Blues in ninth. The Foxes are unbeaten in 12 in the Championship stretching back to early December, winning nine and drawing three, including their last two games.

They have lost only once in the Championship at the King Power Stadium this season, a 2-0 reverse against Nottingham Forest in November, winning 11 and drawing three.

In November, David Nugent continued his remarkable goalscoring record against the Blues as Leicester came from behind to beat Town 2-1 at Portman Road.

David McGoldrick put Town in front in the second minute but Nugent — who took his total to 13 goals in 12 matches against the Blues and nine in seven at Portman Road — scored twice in six minutes as the Foxes improved after the break.

Last time the teams met at the King Power Stadium, in November 2012, shortly after Mick McCarthy took over as manager, Town fell to their second successive hammering on the road as they were smashed 6-0.

Inevitably Nugent scored twice early on, the first a penalty, with Lloyd Dyer, Anthony Knockaert, Martyn Waghorn and Marko Futacs netting the rest.

Leicester manager Pearson was interviewed for the job as Town boss in 2006 but lost out to Jim Magilton, while no current player from either side has represented Saturday’s opposition.

Fans travelling by car should note that Leicester are warning that there may be disruption in the city due to the demolition of a flyover.

Saturday’s referee is James Linington from Newport, Isle of Wight, who has shown 73 yellow cards and six red in 24 games so far this season.

Linington’s most recent Town match was the 3-1 home victory over Middlesbrough in September when he booked Luke Chambers, Luke Hyam and one Boro player.

Squad from: Loach, Gerken, Chambers, Richardson, Cresswell, Mings, Smith, Berra, Skuse, Green, Tabb, Wordsworth, Anderson, Edwards, Hunt, Murphy, Nouble, Taylor, Ebanks-Blake, Lee.

Photo: Action Images

marco007 added 16:34 - Feb 21 As Leicester are not too far away, I have been debating whether to use my hard earned cash to go and watch this game. The conclusion, based on our team, the formation and our recent terrible performances is a resounding no. Hope I regret my decision but I doubt it some how! England v Ireland looks like a better option :)
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jocasaja added 16:42 - Feb 21 I think we should give Nouble our full support - he is a young player, is whole hearted and very strong - I am sure that he will improve his touch and ability on the ball and develop into a very good centre forward - COYB !!!!!
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oldelsworthyfan added 16:43 - Feb 21 What you can say in favour of Frank is that he's consistent. Consistently not very good. However, he's big and scary and could be a handful. One day. MM has certainly given him his chance. Again, again and again.....
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IvorFeeling added 16:54 - Feb 21 Its a tough ask anyway as even with DMcG we have played 8 times against the top six, lost 5, won 1 and drawn 2. Have my betting head on and think we will do well to keep Leicester down to 2 goals and 8/13 home win looks banker material.
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blueboy1981 added 17:33 - Feb 21 ...... surprise, surprise - I think not. Contrary to most peoples thinking, I believe that if we sit back and try to defend the point we start with, we will get absolutely slaughtered - I would attack them from the off, and that would have to mean Taylor starting the game. The best form of defence against Leicester has to be attack - and it's something that could catch them out- it's something they are alien to, because no one does it. It may just work, and if it didn't we've lost nothing anyway.

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Cloddyseedbed added 17:40 - Feb 21 A few things I don't understand, Nouble plays poorly every game but still gets picked. Taylor despite what people say has also really never done it has he? He has had chances albeit small cameo rolls but does not seem to either fit or be up to it so why keep him? Get rid of him McCarthy if your not going to play him! Cancel his contract. We brought in Green to replace Tunnicliffe, now we're talking of re-signing Tunnicliffe! We signed a right back because we hadn't got one at the club as Hewitt is out on loan and we don't play a right back, just a make do one. We defend as a team, but we don't attack as a team. We stop teams scoring loads of goals against us but can't score freely against the opposition, despite how badly they play and we've played some really bad teams this year and really struggled. Everybody needs to understand we are a hell of a way off playoffs with the players we have in the team at the moment, deploying the tactics we do every week. Apart from 2 players the rest are just very average players who would struggle to get in any other championship side. Until we spend some money and get a quality player or two, or the scouts find us another Cresswell or McGoldrick type player we are going nowhere. In fact what are the scouts being paid for, because I for one do not see the players we have brought in just recently any better than who we had before? Very average, hard working players. We'll probably win 5 - 0 against Leicester now - I hope we do!!

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DerryfromBury added 17:54 - Feb 21 In one way, I hope we're all eating humble pie at 4:45 tomorrow and rejoicing in the name of "big" Frank Nouble, and what a tactical genius MM is, but honestly, I can't see it. But then some would say, funny old game this football lark. COYB.
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boysinblue added 18:00 - Feb 21 oh dear.
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jas0999 added 18:28 - Feb 21 Tough game this one. Nouble not the answer in my opinion but hope he scores the winner and proves me and other posters wrong. Can't see it though. Clearly there is something we don't know about Taylor and frankly it's boring now. Simply can't see us pushing for top six. Squad not good or big enough to sustain a challenge.
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JoeDickerson420 added 18:31 - Feb 21 In two minds weather to go to the game and watch us get slapped... or just watching allie mcoist's annoying voice let me no the score. this will be my 5th away games this year adding up way over the £200 pound mark AND im YET to even see us kick a ball in the fu***ng net!! dont care if leicster 5,6 or even 10.. please give the fans something to shout about on saturday and get that ball buried in their goal (in a positive way!) If only leicster have a another pillock like the guy at QPR in the sombrero WHO'S THE W****R IN THE HAT

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bohslegend added 18:44 - Feb 21 I would love to know what exactly Taylor has done to deserve such a lofty opinion of him? I think some of the anti-Mick brigade use Taylor as a stick to beat the manager with continually. I agree with MM 100% on this one - let him go out (in training and) in matches and put in every ounce of effort and undoubted talent he has and prove he should start. The MM-haters will say 'give me 70% of Taylor any day over 100% of Nouble' NO! Laziness is not an option. At the very least, Nouble will give 100% of what he has on the pitch. And that is important overall to the ethic of teamwork. Taylor is lazy at times, and undisciplined at other times. That is not a team mate I would like to have.

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bohslegend added 18:47 - Feb 21 Bluey123..... really??? You want Ipswich to be beaten???
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Guthrum added 18:48 - Feb 21 Blimey, what a load of miserable, defeatist, down-talking whingers we have on here today. For the first season in bloody ages we're riding high, within reach of the play-offs and all you can do is moan and pretend that we lose all the time (at 25.81, we have the 6th lowest loss percentage in the Championship). I don't wish to do Taylor down, but he doesn't seem to have been able to perform for more than short bursts this season (fading away after about 10 minutes), didn't score while on loan at Peterborough and only has the one goal for Town. I think his injury may still be affecting him, but he's obviously not on top form/fitness. Everybody is furiously slagging Frank Nouble off, even tho the team has been doing well with him in it. I'd suggest it's mere scapegoating because you can't find anyone else to have a go at (especially with Hyam injured).

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essexboy added 18:49 - Feb 21 What a load of negative posts,you should all be ashamed of yourselves.get behind the team whoever plays or bog off to the team over the border.COYB.
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blueboy1981 added 18:59 - Feb 21 esseboy .... clever comment - Do we really need LESS people following this Football Club - they can afford to lose a few thousand 'over the border' - WE CAN'T. Get real man.
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essexboy added 19:14 - Feb 21 Blue boy,don't throw your rattle out of your pram,it was only a wind up.!!
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blueboy1981 added 19:17 - Feb 21 ....... so was my response, as I thought you'd guess !!
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ChestnutSe added 19:20 - Feb 21 So much negativity from Town supporters. You need a physical presence in this league and Nouble and Murphy offer that. The Leicester defence will know they have been in a game. I don't understand all this clamour for Taylor. When I saw him play I thought he was pretty useful. Not a world beater or a player that is going to be the game changer that many seem to think he is. If fully fit I think he will be a useful addition to the squad and will offer probably a better threat than Anderson or Carlos. But he won't be able to play a full game.

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ChestnutSe added 19:32 - Feb 21 And I seem to recall that Shefki Kuqi could not be relied upon to score in an open goal from 2 yards out, far more likely to blast it over or wide. But he put himself about and was a great addition to the team. We certainly missed him when he was not there and Frank offers similar to the team.
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thebeat added 19:35 - Feb 21 I wish i could be so poor at my job and get away with it time and time and time and time again. By playing Nouble ahead of Taylor so frequently Mick is putting his little spat with Taylor ahead of whats best for this club. Its just wrong. And as for the tools on about workrate every time Taylor has played hes worked his socks off.He was great against QPR and hasnt kicked a ball since while Nouble gave an absolute dire woeful clueless performance against Bolton and kept his place against Barnsley and guess what? When he got took off we played miles better and came back from 2 down. Its all personal. Its just wrong

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Guthrum added 20:02 - Feb 21 What actual evidence is there that Taylor and McCarthy have had some kind of "falling out"?
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thebeat added 20:13 - Feb 21 Guthrum it has to be something personal, cus it cant be on ability or performances unless Micks gone nlind without us knowing. Did you not smell a rat when Taylor was sent home from Barnsley 90 minutes before kick off with a "tooth problem"? Come on a few paracetamols and he could have watched from the stands and gone home with the boys. And if he had a "tooth problem" why was he on twitter at the taxi rank with a subway and coke in his hand? More likely he couldnt believe Nouble kept his place after his shocking display against Bolton the week before and made his feelings clear about it and was sent home like a naughty schoolboy. Can so many people be wrong when it comes to Nouble? I doubt it.

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blueboy1981 added 20:15 - Feb 21 ..... Taylor has hardly kicked a ball for us - but when he has, he has most definately looked the part - so for all those who keep saying he hasn't done anything much and don't know what all the fuss is about - IT'S BECAUSE HE HASN'T BEEN GIVEN A CHANCE, but what little chance he has had, he has shown FLAIR. Exactly what we lack - Yes ?
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lowtit added 20:21 - Feb 21 what is mc carthy's problem with taylor? he's a pugnacious yobbo but for gawds sake he's zippier than frank the tank
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ericclacton added 20:27 - Feb 21 I'm sorry but I just dont get this, not one bit, am I missing something?
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