Town boss Mick McCarthy has confirmed that Cole Skuse will miss Tuesday’s home game against Derby and that top scorer David McGoldrick is out for the season.

Skuse suffered a kick to the leg in the 3-1 home defeat to Wigan and was absent for the first time in the league since he joined the Blues last summer as Town won 2-0 at Brighton on Saturday.

McCarthy hopes the former Bristol City man will be fit for Nottingham Forest’s visit at the weekend: “He’s not fit. The best case scenario for Cole will be Saturday.

“Everyone else is OK, they’re all fit, all healthy. There might be a couple with tired legs but having won and got the three points certainly helps to cure that.

“They’re OK, we’ve not done anything with them, we won’t do anything until the game just to keep everything in their legs to play against a very good side who are full of vim and vigour at the moment.”

Anthony Wordsworth again seems set to replace Skuse, despite Tuesday’s game coming so soon after the match at Brighton, which was only the former Colchester man’s first league start of the season.

“He seems OK but he’s not going to tell me anything other than that, is he?” McCarthy added. “He’s not going to come in limping. He’ll be fine and if he does start and he runs out of gas, I’ll have some subs on the bench.

“It’s always a difficult one that, you think maybe [you should make a change], but players get by on adrenaline as well, they get going and they’re OK.”

The Town boss says Paul Taylor is in the squad but wouldn’t confirm whether the striker would return to the matchday 18 having been left out completely at Brighton: “He’s in the 22 whether he’s in the 18 remains to be seen. He’s available for selection.”

McCarthy confirmed that 16-goal top scorer David McGoldrick won’t play again during 2013/14 having suffered a partial tear to a medial knee ligament just over a month ago. There had previously been a slender hope that the 26-year-old might return in the very latter stages or if Town make the play-offs.

“He’s not going to be fit for any of the season," the Blues manager said. "He’s halfway, he’s got his brace on, he’s like the bionic man walking round with his brace. It is what it is. He’ll miss the rest of the season and just getting fit for the start of next season.”

Meanwhile, speaking prior to the addition of Manchester City winger Alex Henshall, McCarthy said there could be some movement in or out before the emergency loan window closes on Thursday: “Possibly.”

Regarding the players already out on loan, he says right-back Freddie Veseli has a week or so left of his spell with League Two Bury: “They stopped it for a week and I think they get a few more games out of him. It’s not up in time so he’s able to go anywhere else, so he’ll come back to us.”

McCarthy says he’s had varying reports regarding Veseli’s performances for the Shakers and Elliott Hewitt’s with League One Gillingham: “A mixed bag for both him and Elliott Hewitt. Elliott’s out learning his trade really and he’s done all right. Peter Taylor loves him there at Gillingham, he’s done well for him.

“A bit of a mixed bag, not every week they’ve been fabulous, but they’ve done OK the pair of them.”

As for Jack Marriott, who rejoined Skrill Premier Woking in January, he added: “Jack’s scored 11 goals, he’s done fine. He hasn’t scored for four, so he’s in the middle of a drought or maybe at the end of a drought, I don’t know.”

Photo: Action Images

Superblue95 added 16:02 - Mar 24 Just need to make sure Mcgoldrick is fit and ready for next season
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NoCanariesAllowed added 16:09 - Mar 24 Probably for the best to have McGoldrick take a long rest and be fit and ready to kick on in pre-season than to risk squeezing him in for a couple of games at the end of the campaign when he's not ready. As long as we keep Ebanks-Blake on it'll be exciting to see what the two of them can do together once fit.
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GerkensBeard added 17:44 - Mar 24 Can't wait for tomorrow's game, gonna be very entertaining regardless of the result due to Derbys attacking prowess. Tomorrow we need to be physical and get into them early, stop them playing and look to break on the counter attack. This will be another game like Saturday where our style of play will be ideal. Think Hunt might be rested tomorrow not sure he has the legs so could see us line up like this to match Derbys 4-3-3. (4-3-3) Gerken Chambers, Berra, Smith, Cresswell Hyam, Wordsworth, Green Anderson, Murphy, Williams Think MM will look to compact the midfield and think he will move Williams out to do this, Would like to see Williams start in the middle but we need hard working physical players to stop derby in the midfield. Can't wait for the game tomorrow and 3 points would just be amazing! (Not that I can see it) nevertheless COYB.

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brittaniaman added 19:31 - Mar 24 I see that Forest have sacked Billie Davies today !!! I wonder if it means we will have the New Manager syndrome again ?????? How many times has that happened to us this season ?? Still Derby first !! remembering we got caught out with a new manager last time we met ???
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Steelmonkey added 20:08 - Mar 24 What a livewire young Williams looks, can't remember a player being so standout for us for a few seasons now. He looks to have the skill , quickness and ability to pick a player out with a pass. I would like to see him end the season with us and be given an extended run in the team. Just the type of player that we have been missing. If he keeps on doing well for us he will be sorely missed when it's time for him to return to CP, unless ME can be persuaded to part with some of his dosh. Saturdays result gives us some hope for the game against Derby, whenever we have had a great result in a game like they did against Forest, we have been crying for a goal next match, hope it's the same for them. COYB's

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toforoge added 21:29 - Mar 24 Hyam playing in his best position always seems to help, he is an outstanding lone defensive mid doing a lot of unseen work and covering.
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tractorboyz82 added 21:48 - Mar 24 Yeah I've said from the start hyam or skuse but not both together think big frank mite start ahead of Williams. Gerken Cresswell Smith Berra Chambers Hyam Wordsworth Green Anderson Nouble Murphy
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blueherts added 08:13 - Mar 25 SEND TAYLOR OUT ON LOAN - He peaked at Vauxhall Motors
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rugbytomc added 11:40 - Mar 25 ha yes britania man - exactly what I thought. Too many times is the answer!
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