Town boss Mick McCarthy says Ryan Fraser, Luke Hyam and Daryl Murphy should all be fine to face QPR at Loftus Road on Saturday, despite suffering minor knocks during Tuesday’s 2-1 home victory over Reading.

“They’re all OK,” he said. “We had a few knocks. Ryan had a tight hamstring and Luke Hyam had a sore calf, Murph had a kick on his foot but they are all expected to train tomorrow and be fit for Saturday.”

He says keeper Dean Gerken, who suffered a shoulder injury at Birmingham a fortnight ago, is not too far off a return to fitness: “Gerks is all right. It will take the time that we said. We’re looking at the Hull game [two weeks next Tuesday].

"Having that cup game missing [the Blackburn match has moved due to their involvement in the FA Cup] has probably done us a favour with goalkeepers.

"There was no way I was going to get another keeper in to sit on the bench, as I explained to you, that doesn't work. If I needed one to go straight in then we'd get one.

"That's done us a favour that, so he should be fit for the Hull game."

McCarthy says he’s putting no timescale on the returns of David McGoldrick and Teddy Bishop, longer-term absentees with hamstring problems.

“I’ll know when they’re ready, we'll just keep the training and rehab going,” the Town manager added.

“I’ve spoken them both today and they’re both happy with their rehab and the timing of it and where they’re at. I’m not one to rush them, it’ll be when they’re ready.”

Town will again be without midfielder Jonathan Douglas at Loftus Road as he will be serving the second game of his three-game ban.

Photo: Action Images

Lion added 19:07 - Feb 4 Lol green army, fkn predictive txt too! Yes I meant gerken :$
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Witchesaswell added 19:43 - Feb 4 Ok, its all about opinions but in my humble one I think others are right in saying that there's not much to choose between them. Personally I think Gerken is slightly the better shot stopper but I also believe Bart commands the penalty area marginally the better of the two. I therefore believe whoever currently has the position should keep until form or injury dictates otherwise! If it doesn't then MM is not a man of his word.

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Safetyfirstmrwarke added 21:05 - Feb 4 @green army. Science is great. Thank you.
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Kikapu added 21:30 - Feb 4 Witchesaswell. I think MM is ahead of you on that and I don't think he's changed his view on replacing individual players playing well, and available, for decades. So MM is your man. How could you doubt him?
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Pedro added 22:26 - Feb 4 Agree Bart should be given his chance but was not that impressive v Pompey
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ArnieM added 23:17 - Feb 4 those stats are actually meaningless when applying true "statistical significance " ( of the "difference" between each set of stats for each GK). ie the significance of "difference " between each of keepers stats is so small it is deemed ( in a mathematical sense ), insignificant. The OP conclusions from his stats are flawed because is "claiming" ie drawing conclusions that there are "real" differences between the two keepers, when in fact , statistically there is not. ie the "p value" is greater than 5........mathematicians on here will know what I mean. In essence the stats provided by the OP actually support the fact that there is no REAL MEANINGFUL DIFFERENCE between either keeper.

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Green_Army added 23:52 - Feb 4 Arnie, Where did I state there was a REAL MEANINGFUL DIFFERENCE between either keeper? All those stats are are facts, I didn't write them up and show either to be superior to the other. Agreed that the stats are similar for both goalkeepers, but sometimes you have to look beyond the figures and for me personally, I feel we are better defensibly with Bart in goal.
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Bert added 01:21 - Feb 5 It is not wise or fair to state that the players prefer Bart. Have they bugged the players phones or is is just plan prejudice against Gerks who has a good two month spell saving the team on many occassions. I'm sure Bart will too .
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sidtheswan added 06:03 - Feb 5 MM obviously knows something the rest of Suffolk doesn't see . Bart is better all round and is backed up statiscally. Just can't understand him and wish he would explain his logic .
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