Town boss Mick McCarthy expects Luke Hyam and Daryl Murphy will be fit for Saturday’s trip to Huddersfield, despite suffering niggles during Tuesday’s 1-0 home defeat to Hull City.

Hyam, who was returning from an earlier calf problem, was replaced in the second half with a hamstring injury but is now on the mend.

“He’s a slight doubt, he’s reported in this morning feeling much better and more optimistic about it,” McCarthy said.

“Having had the fitness test he put a shift in the other night and he just felt fatigued, his hamstring. Hopefully he’ll be OK but we’ll wait and see tomorrow. Murph has just been feeling a bit tight but he should be OK as well.”

Having left on-loan Arsenal youngster Ainsley Maitland-Niles out of the 18 on Tuesday he says the 18-year-old has “trained great today” and outlined the reasons for his omission.

“It was just the fact that I had Larsen Touré fit and I thought if I needed to make an impact perhaps he would do that more as he’s been training really well,” he added.

“It’s been tough for Ainsley, it’s been a long, hard season for him, he’s never had one like this so it’s no surprise that a young lad like that might have a dip in form. But he’s a really good player and he’ll be back with us.”

McCarthy says he’s not quite sure when Cole Skuse will be back from his toe problem: “It’s difficult to tell, bearing in mind it’s a ligament in his toe. He’s started running.

“It’s like any ligament, you can get to the point where you think it’s fine but then you’ve got to go out and kick a ball and tackle and block shots and what have you.

“They said it was going to be four to six weeks and I think that’s what’ll be the case. Whatever it was he’s into his third week. It’ll just take time.

“Fingers crossed, if he’s available for Bolton, Cardiff, Blackburn, Rotherham territory we’d be delighted.”

He says midfielder Giles Coke is still some way off a return from the knee injury he suffered at QPR: “He’s not been out training yet, he’s nowhere near.”

Central defender Piotr Malarczyk, who has had a kidney stone, is also not yet ready to return to the squad.

“We’re talking about a procedure that he has to have done tomorrow which left one or two crossing their legs,” McCarthy revealed. “I’ve asked him if they can film it.”

Ryan Fraser, Teddy Bishop and David McGoldrick all remain sidelined with their hamstring injuries.

Meanwhile, the Blues boss confirmed that he is still looking for loan additions and that there are funds there if he finds someone he wants to bring in, although says that’s not always easy.

“There aren’t too many around that people want to let go,” the Town boss continued. “And if that’s the case we’ll have to make do and mend with what we’ve got and get on with it, like we always do.”

Photo: Action Images

hampstead_blue added 14:09 - Feb 25 I would say that there are probably some very good players for loan, but we don't have the money in the budget to pay them.
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Kikapu added 14:14 - Feb 25 That's the trouble with ligaments. 4 to 6 weeks minimum for any ligament for any person. Not like muscles which have a substantial blood supply.
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bigtimecharlie added 14:48 - Feb 25 “It was just the fact that I had Larsen Touré fit and I thought if I needed to make an impact perhaps he would do that more as he's been training really well,” .... We needed an impact player shortly after we went 0-1 down ... if there was ever cause to do so then why didnt you ? ... he was an unused sub ??
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itsonlyme added 14:51 - Feb 25 Some would say it us a shame that Murphy is fit to play. Need to put Sears up front if we want to try to get in the playoffs!
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itsonlyme added 14:53 - Feb 25 We need a major change at this club but it ain't gonna happen!
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StuartBrett8 added 15:50 - Feb 25 So polish pete is having a camera up his up his...... ow!!!!!
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hello66 added 16:00 - Feb 25 Please throw the towel in Mick !
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MattinLondon added 16:03 - Feb 25 Aren't too many loan players around?? How about be a bit old-school and play some younger players? Just a thought.
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battyblue added 16:04 - Feb 25 Coke is nowhere near and no where good enough so no matter,Hyam won't be 100% fit nor will Murphy but that don't matter to Mick they will both play....I want to know what's happened to Bish must be the longest hamstring injury I can remember.
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Mark added 16:12 - Feb 25 > there are funds there if he finds someone he wants to bring in Talk about too little too late. Little point spending anything now with the play-offs getting distant and the FA Cup given up on. Maybe better to keep the few quid we have for the summer and try to spend it on young players on permanent deals?
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PortmanTerrorist added 16:25 - Feb 25 Touré on bench to make an impact. Was unused with a sub to spare so presumably we were waiting to go 2 down ?! Re loans.....would you come ? Reasons for:- You will get a game Reasons against:- Liel;y to be lpayed out of position
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Surco72 added 16:27 - Feb 25 50 plus players on loan from premiership in championship but there aren't many around that people want to let go ? Well Brighton , Sheff Weds , Hull , Birmingham ,Burnley , Boro , Preston all managed it in January / February so perhaps it is you they don't want to come and play for Mick ?
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PortmanTerrorist added 16:30 - Feb 25 Touré on bench to make an impact. Was unused with a sub to spare so presumably we were waiting to go 2 down ?! Re loans.....would you come ? Reasons for:- You will get a game Great training ground ! Reasons against:- Likely to be played out of position Will be run into the ground = likely injury Neck ache from watch balls flying around above your head Money will be poor - why pay now when play offs are odds against Playing in a stadium full of loyal supporters losing faith and on the verge of showing it On that last point was I the only one who found it weird how quiet FPR was all game and at full time on Tuesday. Watch the highlights - no noise on there either apart from groans when they score ! My point is we are NOT getting a quality loan signing any time soon

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TimmyH added 16:51 - Feb 25 Really doesn't make that much difference if Hyam and Murphy missed the Huddersfield game, neither have contributed that much this season, Murphy had a good 2/3 game spell but has done little since and Hyam is now filling in for Skuse until he comes back or until Hyam gets injured again. Going by what McCarthy has being saying above a lot of the players have trained 'great' - not sure what that means maybe the ball carrying a good 50 yards + in the air (like one of my wedge shots).

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therein61 added 16:58 - Feb 25 Would any players available want to come here after our recent nose dive, our season is falling apart I do not see the squad togetherness on the park that carried us to the play offs last year, Berra is not the player he was last year(but he's an undroppable favourite)who with his performances covered the cracks in the disjointed back four but this season we are all over the place and giving away goals left right(more from the right skipper!!) and centre, and for a defender of Mick's stature this asks questions of his coaching or indeed lack of.

0

birdie82 added 17:00 - Feb 25 Murphy will struggle to score goals when the ball is being hoofed to him and there isn't another player within 20 yards of him! In the last 2 games the service to Murphy has been woeful!!
5

jas0999 added 17:27 - Feb 25 A striker woefully out of form and hasn't been scoring goals, and a defence minded midfielder to partner another defence minded central player; neither creative. This is indeed great news. Time for a change of transfer strategy.
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jas0999 added 17:30 - Feb 25 Oh, and this nonsence of funds available for a loan. More spin. How much is funds? Thirty quid? It won't be much that's for sure.
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Seasider added 17:37 - Feb 25 Surco72 and therein61,Mick did say on website just now that he had been turned down last season by two players/clubs from prem;but never mentioned this season. However unlike report above,from this interview didn't sound to me as though he was looking for anybody;but lets hope he is,and is successful. Somebody like Jonny Williams(at present with MK Dons)would possibly give us the boost to re-ignite our push for playoff place.I fear if McCarthy does not make a marquee signing before the window closes,and forlornly hopes that his sick notes will return in time,will be disappointed,as will I !

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blueboy1981 added 17:47 - Feb 25 More spin than a 1600 spin speed washing machine - MM must genuinely think we all have straw growing out of our ears. This has got to the point of 'taking the proverbial' - for granted.
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Kirbmeister added 17:48 - Feb 25 Let's not kid ourselves, we have no chance of the playoffs. Even if we did make them, then what? We have years of mid table obscurity ahead.
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Suffolk_n_Good added 17:52 - Feb 25 REPLY TO MM 1. It would of been better if Murphy would had been unfit, maybe you would of finally seen fit to play Sears up front with Pitman 2. IMO Hyam isn't match fit, but you have no other choice/option but to play him, he came off against Hull with a tight hamstring 3. Laursen Toure will NEVER be "an impact sub!!!" as long as he's got a hole in his....... ! 4. There was plenty of Championship teams signing Premier League players in January! You gave us a cock & bull excuse that Digby, Foley, Coke, Toure, Malarczrk were THAT GOOD, that we couldn't find better!!! 5. Finally, IMO, Parr & Oar, were good quality players who could of come into their own right now, but your insistence on keeping deluded faith with players under performing drove them to make the decision to leave

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blueboy1981 added 17:54 - Feb 25 People - forget the play-offs. It just ain't gonna happen - and what chance would we have against ANY of the current top six ? Totally convinced since the non event January, and events since, that the Club for whatever reason are not interested. But, of course, we will hear otherwise (yet more spin) ........ to be taken in by some, as usual.
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blueboy1981 added 18:13 - Feb 25 Mid table Championship is, and will continue to be, the aim and ambition for the Club. Evans knows that's the capability of MM & TC - hence the recent contract extensions. Painful for some of us - but the choice we will have is, get used to HOOFBALL, take it, or find better value for money, and entertainment, than Portman Road. That's about the reality of it all.
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prebbs007 added 18:16 - Feb 25 Shame !!! They're both sh1te
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