Full-back or midfielder Jonny Parr is available for tomorrow's home game against now-relegated Blackpool, having recovered from his hamstring injury but young winger Dylan Connolly has joined those on the sidelines having picked up an ankle problem in the U21s on Tuesday. McCarthy has also reiterated that there is "nothing sinister" regarding David McGoldrick's continued absence.

“No fresh injuries amongst those who have been playing, thankfully,” manager Mick McCarthy said. “Dylan Connolly got a knock in the U21s, he was excellent in that, so he won’t be in the squad.

“But Jonny Parr’s back and everybody else is still the same. Didz is not fit. Darren Ambrose isn’t fit, although he’ll do some rehab today, Luke Hyam, Noel Hunt, Kevin Bru are all still injured.”

McCarthy says it’s increasingly unlikely that McGoldrick, who continues to be frustrated by a thigh problem, and Hyam, who suffered a knee injury in the FA Cup replay against Southampton and then last week a setback in his recovery, will feature again before the end of the regular season.

“Doubtful actually,” he admitted. “Didzy’s been coming back and he keeps coming back to a point in his training, then he’s missing for another week so his rehab keeps getting put further and further back.

“I’ve said to Luke Hyam, just leave it and if we end up in the play-offs [there might be a chance], and who knows then, it could extend to that.

“But you don’t want to be in here all close season because he’s had a tough time with the injury, so he wants to be fit when he leaves and then he can come back fighting front.

“Kevin Bru [calf] will be fit, Darren Ambrose [hamstring], he’s having some rehab, but there are maybe two or three we might not see.

“And, of course, the season’s ebbing away pretty quickly now, there’s less and less time for them to get fit.”

He says there is nothing more than the injury to McGoldrick’s situation with some fans having put two and two together and come up with alternative scenarios regarding the striker - a £7 million target of Premier League Leicester in the summer - during his now two-month spell on the sidelines.

“I can’t help that, how people count and whether they can add up or not I don’t know,” McCarthy added. “There’s nothing sinister about Didzy at all.

“Didzy’s desperate to play. You should see the look on his face today. I’ve said ‘Are you OK?’ and he’s said ‘No’. I’ve said ‘Are you OK, your injury’s different, how are you? How are you in yourself?’.

“When you’re injured it’s an awful feeling. He wants to play. In answer to all those questions, yes, of course he is going to be here [next season] - ‘Mick McCarthy confirms David McGoldrick will be here next season… Good luck!’.”

Left-back Tyrone Mings is back from his two-match ban and will start.

Photo: Action Images

thebeat added 18:22 - Apr 10 rickw i would bloody love to see your team start the game but lets not kid ourselves. Fullbacks at fullback? 2 attacking midfielders? Against a "dangerous" team like Blackpool. Bonkers is the chosen word youd hear from the master tactician.
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prebbs007 added 20:50 - Apr 10 Wadeyblue. That may well be the team but it totally the wrong team and is the exact reason we have gone from Top on Boxing Day to 8th now. That team has 5 players out of position. Half of the team. Mr stubborn has kept picking his favourites no matter how they play while dropping others who have not played as bad. The opposition have worked us out and attack our weaknesses which are the out of position players. While MM continues to do that we have no chance unfortunately.

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rickw added 23:02 - Apr 10 TractorCam - I would have no problem with Chaplow in for Tabb, he'd give a bit more muscle to the midfield and still provide the workrate, but dropping Tabb is perhaps even more unlikely than dropping Smith!
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carsey added 01:26 - Apr 11 Everyone knows Chambers will start at RB and Smith will be alongside Berra in the middle on his "wrong" foot. The ball will be belted up the pitch by one of the back 4 or the 'keeper for Murphy to head on. We won't play out from the back through midfield. All of the above is what most people I have spoken to believe is wrong with the town this season. We got away with it up to early January but now the opposition teams have worked us out we have no alternative. Sadly MM cannot or will not change so we are stuck with it.

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