Daryl Murphy, Cole Skuse and Luke Hyam return to the Town side away against fellow play-off challengers Cardiff City this afternoon.

Brett Pitman and Jonathan Douglas drop to the bench, while Kevin Foley, who was suffering with bruised ribs after the Bolton game, isn’t in the 18.

McCarthy could start with Murphy and Freddie Sears in a front two with Kevin Bru and Ben Pringle in narrow roles on the right and left respectively, or alternatively Murphy could start as a lone striker with Sears wide on the right.

Keeper Michael Crowe has returned from his loan spell at Braintree and is on the bench with Dean Gerken unwell.

Cardiff are without first-choice keeper David Marshall due to a virus and Simon Moore starts in his place. Former Blues academy schoolboy Stuart O’Keefe starts in midfield.

Cardiff: Moore, Peltier, Connolly, Manga, Malone, Noone, O’Keefe, Ralls, Whittingham, Pilkington (c), Immers. Subs: Wilson, Morrison, Dikgacoi, Ameobi, Zahore, Gunnarsson, Lawrence.

Town: Bialkowski, Chambers (c), Smith, Berra, Knudsen, Skuse, Hyam, Bru, Pringle, Sears, Murphy. Subs: Crowe, Digby, Tabb, Douglas, Maitland-Niles, Varney, Pitman. Referee: Andrew Madley (West Yorkshire).

Photo: Action Images

muccletonjoe added 14:17 - Mar 12 just about the best 11 we can put out at the moment , hyam for douglas is good news
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TimmyH added 14:17 - Mar 12 Hmmmm...Skuse and Hyam a combination that doesn't usually work or has MM lost his memory, about time we had a more settled midfield, Murphy can consider himself a lucky boy he's back in he really needs to step it up. On another note shame for Foley he's played quite well since he's been here...what is it about this season and injuries mainly effecting the midfield?
5

prebsa added 14:19 - Mar 12 Not happy with Skuse and Hyam together. How many times in the past has that pairing proven it hasent worked together! Let's hope I'm eating my words at the end of the game!
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Seasider added 14:21 - Mar 12 Well Kevin Foleys injury has let Mick off the hook,so no surprise that Skuse and Murph back in for Douglas and Pitman,who ar both on the bench;and Luke in for the injured Kevin. I would think that this is the best team that Mick can put out so looking forward to a good Interesting that problems at Middlesbrough and Karanka not in charge for todays game!
4

prebsa added 14:39 - Mar 12 Essex57 you are a joke
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Smithy added 14:39 - Mar 12 Marshall not in goal is a massive boost
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GoldieBlue added 14:43 - Mar 12 That's the team I would have picked. Was the Hyam Skuse pairing really that bad?? We've had alot worse over the last year and we have 4 very positive players ahead of them so I don't think it matters that much. COYB.
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itfcbam added 14:43 - Mar 12 So we don't like Skuse and Hyam. Given Foley who if he wasnt injured sure would have played, other option was Skuse and Douglas or Hyam and Douglas. Either way people would moan! Honestly; negative negative negative. Something novel, about as good a line up as we could put out COYB! Believe 3pts can be achieved.
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bedsitfc added 14:47 - Mar 12 I like Murphy but I believe he holds us back slightly, because balls are pumped up to him and we don't have anybody on his shoulder to win the second ball. He also gets dragged wide quite often when he should be in the centre.
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prebsa added 14:50 - Mar 12 It didn't have to be any of those itfcbam. We could of played AMN who is a right sided player on the right and then bru who is a CM not a right player in the middle with Skuse or Hyam. People just want to see a more positive middle with players in their positions. They are not moaning the are stating their opinions. Don't become like essex57
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mow_the_lawn added 14:56 - Mar 12 I'd like to see Bru back in the middle. He's our most creative central midfielder along with Bishop when fit. Pair him with Skuse, and choose from Niles and Sears for pace on the counter attack or play both and get Pringle in the middle as a three witu Murphy up top to hold it up.
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ipswichjon added 15:03 - Mar 12 Bru is injured
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prebsa added 15:09 - Mar 12 No he's not he's playing on the right
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cornishblu added 15:51 - Mar 12 Worse than dreadful...insipid uninspiring lack of energy and fight no one singing at either end....mick macarthy this is painful to watch...you must be so proud .....
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