Skipper Luke Chambers, Cole Skuse and Christophe Berra won’t be risked as the Blues travel to Portsmouth for Tuesday’s FA Cup third round replay. Boss Mick McCarthy wouldn’t name his team, as he did the day before the first match, but is likely to name a very young side.

“We’ve got some walking wounded,” McCarthy said. “Skusey’s got a tight hamstring, Christophe’s going for an injection on his shoulder having landed really heavily a couple of times on Saturday.

“Chambo played the last 10 minutes with a calf strain, a tight calf, and just generally there are bumps and bruises.

“It showed in the game that we’d had to work so hard on Tuesday night, the euphoria of winning when we did [perhaps masked that]. I just think it takes its toll on a lot of them. So there’ll be a few changes tomorrow night because of it.”

The Town boss hopes the trio will be fine ahead of Saturday’s crunch Championship game away at Birmingham City, who are eighth, a place behind the Blues.

“I’m hoping so, we’ll see,” he added. “I hope they’ll train Thursday, they more than likely will but there’s no chance of them being risked tomorrow.”

McCarthy opted not to announce his XI, having named his side the day before the Portman Road match, which ended 2-2.

“No, I’m not going to do it this time,” he continued. “There’ll be a number of changes in it.

“I’d say, bearing in mind that they haven’t played since they played us, they certainly are fresh legs, and Birmingham haven’t got a game on Tuesday night.

“It’ll be a younger [team] and I hope an inspirational performance from some of them. Let’s see what they’ve got.

“We’ve got 19 games left and it is taking its toll on one of two of them. When Skusey starts complaining of a tight hamstring and Chambo starts complaining about a tight calf, you know that it’s taking its toll.

“So I’d like to see one or two be ready if I need them to play, and who knows, it could turn out that we need them in the next league game or the one after and I’d like to think they’ve had a game and they could compete for that place.”

He confirmed that U21s skipper Joe Robinson and Kyle Hammond would be amongst those travelling, while Josh Emmanuel, Myles Kenlock and Adam McDonnell also seem set to be amongst the youngsters at least making the 18 with Town fielding a very youthful U21s side against Colchester this afternoon.

Tommy Oar, Piotr Malarczyk, Bartosz Bialkowski, Luke Varney and Luke Hyam all look set to start as they did in the Portman Road match, while Paul Digby, a debutant in the first game, is also likely to be in the squad if not the team. Jay Tabb, Giles Coke and Larsen Touré could also come into the picture for starts or places on the bench.

David McGoldrick and Teddy Bishop both remain sidelined with hamstring injuries, while the Blues are still to receive international clearance for Kevin Foley, who is ineligible for tomorrow’s match in any case having not been at the club for the first game.

Photo: Action Images

COYB11 added 20:03 - Jan 18 "Westy added 14:22 - Jan 18 Play the strongest team. If a player is 'too tired' to play in the next game then cross that bridge when you come to it, but never increase the likelihood that we will lose a game by intentionally fielding a weakened side. Not fair on the travelling fans and with no game again until Saturday, surely they would have time to recover. " Nowhere in this interview did Mick say that Chambers, Berra or Skuse were 'too tired'. Don't misquote him. He listed the specific injuries that they are carrying.... It's clear that the season is begining to take it's toll based on the slow starts in the last couple of games. Why not trust Mick when he has proved in his last 3 years here that he knows what he is doing. (and also for the fact that he is one of the most honest, straight talking men in the game) Don't be ignorant and compare Skuse, Berra and Chambers to footballers who may duck out of an FA cup reply at Portsmouth when they are all clearly very commited to their profession and the club. It's great experience for our younger lads, all of the pundits and ex pros say how much of a waste of time the U21 league is. Please don't moan for the sake of moaning! Back the boys - COYB

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Dissboyitfc added 21:00 - Jan 18 Coyb11...you say why not trust Mick, in cup competions he has achieved nothing in the last three years. no one is moaning for the sake of moaning, but quite a few fans want to enjoy a decent cup run!
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RaymondovicBlue added 23:23 - Jan 18 We will win at Portsmouth or I'll eat my..... First kebab of the year!!!
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BrettenhamBlue added 00:33 - Jan 19 Likely Team Bialkowski Digby, Malarcyk, Smith, Knudsen Oar, Coke, Hyam, Tabb Varney, Toure Tactics Hit the ball as high up the pitch as you can. The longer you hoof it, the better.
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Benters added 05:14 - Jan 19 That last comment LOL !!!
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Westy added 21:05 - Jan 19 COYB11, I think it is you who have mis-quoted me - I did not say they were trying to duck out of the game, and wanting to play a strong team to win the game is the opposite of being negative. It will be good experience for the younger players but I'd rather increase the likelihood of winning the game, something we could have done in the first game had Mick had take it more seriously. Playing a stronger team tonight will nit have any baring on the result in the next league game.

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