Emyr Huws is set to return to the Town squad for the first time this season when the Blues face Hull City at the KCOM Stadium on Saturday, while Teddy Bishop has also been impressing in training, however, Tom Adeyemi remains sidelined.

Huws, 24, who was signed from Cardiff in the summer after a successful loan spell last season, has been sidelined with an achilles injury since rejoining the club, while Bishop, 21, underwent hernia surgery in August.

Manager Mick McCarthy is delighted to have the Wales international, who has played in the last three U23s matches, available again.

“It’s good to have him back,” he said. “He and Teddy Bishop both played in the U23s at Millwall [last Friday], which I watched, and they’ve both trained this week.

“Both are getting into contention to play, however, it’s not U23s football we’re playing, we’re talking about Championship football, but we’ve a busy couple of weeks and certainly Emyr should be in contention for those games.

“Teddy, we’ll wait and see, but you can just see the ability of them when they train with us, the standard of the training, they’re just terrific.”

Reflecting on Huws’s goalscoring and creativity, he added: “If you can add goals from midfield to what we’re getting from the front players then it would be a real bonus for all of us.”

McCarthy says he’s not sure how many more U23s games Bishop will need before he’s ready to return to the first team, his last appearance having come at Rotherham in April.

“I couldn’t tell you how long he’s been out or the last time he played,” the Blues boss continued.

“But 45 minutes of an U23s game doesn’t constitute him being anywhere near ready for first-team action.

“He needs some football and more training to just get toughened up, battle ready and game ready and have that durability that you need.

“That’s what’s been lacking with him, there’s no way we can rush him back into it. But, wow, he’s trained really well.”

Another central midfielder Tom Adeyemi remains out with a hamstring problem: “He’s not in contention [for Hull]. I asked him today [regarding a timeframe] and he said probably Forest [on December 2nd].”

Better news is that Cole Skuse is fine having limped off during the 3-0 home win against Preston before the international break.

“Skusey’s fine, he took a really heavy knock and he’d got a brace on his leg and it looked far worse than it’s turned out to be,” McCarthy said.

“As I’ve said before, he is durable, he does play games and that still remains the same, thankfully.”

Republic of Ireland boss Martin O’Neill cited a long-standing groin problem when he was explaining why David McGoldrick was left out of his final squad for the World Cup play-off against Denmark, but McCarthy says that’s nothing to get too worried about.

“That’s been ongoing for a while, but he’s OK,” he said. “That’s just a little niggle that’s just been there, nothing major.

“But if it gets just above that obviously he can’t play. But he’s all right, we’ve looked after him during the international break, he’s trained this week and he’ll be fine for Saturday.”"

Centre-half Tommy Smith, 27, suffered a calf injury while away with New Zealand - he missed the All Whites’ 2-0 second leg defeat in Peru in the early hours of this morning - but McCarthy says he wouldn’t have been involved at Hull anyway.

“Matt Byard has been speaking to him, I don’t generally speak to players about their injuries, I speak to the physiotherapist and they report to me.

“I don’t know [how significant the injury is]. He’s not in contention for Saturday, he doesn’t report back here until Friday morning, so irrespective of his injury he’s not available.

“But we’ve got plenty of games and I think having flown to New Zealand, then to Peru and then back, that’s probably not the preparation for Hull!”

McCarthy says midfielder Luke Hyam, who had knee surgery in September, is still some way off a return to action.

“Sadly he’s still in the treatment room, he’s not on the pitch yet. I don’t know when he’ll be back.”

#itfc midfielder, @andredozzell has been undergoing two weeks of intensive rehab at Cambridge University as he continues his recovery from ACL reconstruction! Great work, Andre 💪 pic.twitter.com/MYbYGNfdht

— Ipswich Town FC (@Official_ITFC) November 14, 2017

Meanwhile, Andre Dozzell has been undergoing a fortnight of intensive rehabilitation at Cambridge University as he continues his recovering following his cruciate knee ligament reconstruction in August.

The 18-year-old, who suffered the injury on the opening day, is expected to be out of action for the rest of the season.

Photo: TWTD

adeblueboy added 15:13 - Nov 16 The last time Teddy Bishop impressed was his goal against Blackpool! He has a lot to prove.
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chicoazul added 15:14 - Nov 16 Dozzell's squat form is terrible. Hi news commentators!
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baxter7 added 16:01 - Nov 16 I like mcarthys words if they are good enough they will get in the team how the hell do skuse get in the side then every week
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OldClactonBlue added 16:19 - Nov 16 adeblueboy When Teddy was fit he impressed in almost every game. He will make a massive difference if he can return to full fitness.
3

OsborneOneNil added 17:11 - Nov 16 Dozzell looks more mobile than Skuse.
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ClausThomsen added 19:30 - Nov 16 “I couldn't tell you how long he's been out or the last time he played,” Ouch
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Rensham added 19:31 - Nov 16 You never know if an Achilles injury has healed. Time and fitness will tell. I'd give him a few more u23 games to get him really fit. Rather than sending him out there half cooked and getting him to overstrain to keep up with the game. He hasn't played Championship since April. Be cautious, we always got Skusey.
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ricardo55555 added 19:58 - Nov 16 "Better news is that Cole Skuse is fine " this is a lie. To be fair I don't mind him as long as hes playing alongside an attacking midfielder .
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therein61 added 07:51 - Nov 17 The only man who refuses to acknowledge that we are a better side without the so called premiership class number 8 is much to our cost the man who picks the team!!!!!
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Cheshire_Blue added 10:43 - Nov 17 Leadbitter then Douglas now Skuse. Who will be next for the ill informed Keyboard warriors?
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heathen66 added 16:50 - Nov 17 Cheshire_Blue. I am unsure quite why you believe people are ill-informed This is a forum where people are able (and should be encouraged) to give their opinions whether they are considered positive or negative. I would be interested into why people believe Cole Skuses position should be nailed on week in week out. For me he does not do enough on or off the ball often there or there abouts but never near enough to influence anything. He is supposed to play as the insurance policy holding midfielder. Yes he make one or two good interceptions but never wins the ball in a tackle and starts an attack. hardly wins a header and never drives forward. For a linchpin of the side tends to be far too anonymous. In todays modern game this is not enough. Leadbitter on the other hand when he first joined really was a different class and really shone Premiership quality, however towards the end of his Town career had had enough and just wanted to get away and this I believe was reflected in his performances Douglas on the other hand was wrong place wrong time (and poorly managed), signed on what he had done previously and not what he could do, hence the mighty Brentford not wanting to give him a 2 year contract. The unfortunate thing with Douglas is that Mick was too stubborn to accept he was wrong to sign him (on such a long contract at his age) and just kept playing him to prove he was right (and we are all wrong) which was so unfair on the player.. Please come on here and argue Skuses case...please. I am willing to change my opinion, although please do not just hide behind he does the things you don't notice. Matty Holland did many good things that you didn't notice however when he was not there there were holes everywhere, with no one tidying up. And this was on top of some very influential MOTM performances and plenty of goals

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Cheshire_Blue added 17:43 - Nov 17 All very interesting, heathen 66, but thankfully only your opinion.You have clearly identified that Skuse probably does many things that you don't notice.Certainly, in my opinion, we are better defensively when he plays than when he doesn't. Criticism of Skuse by the small proportion of supporters who post on here is an indirect way of having another go at the manager which seems more important to many than supporting the team. What a boring world it would be if we were all of the same view!

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heathen66 added 18:45 - Nov 17 Thanks Cheshire blue. I would still like to understand more of what he brings to the team so that I may be able to appreciate him more. Also just because some criticise on this from it does not mean that they are not supporters. I for one care about MY team and am unhappy the way we are being treated and entertained. I believe we have some real quality players at the club but for whatever reason are being stifled...and Cole Skuse may come into that category too.

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