Town boss Kieran McKenna says his squad has no new injuries going into Sunday’s East Anglian derby against Norwich City at Portman Road.

Only Wes Burns, who is around a month away from a return from an ACL injury, and Conor Townsend, out for the whole campaign with the same issue, are absent.

“No, squad’s in a good place, everyone came through the other night OK,” McKenna said.

Last Saturday, Harry Clarke, who had been out with a knee injury, Cameron Humphreys, who had had a calf problem, and Fin Barbrook, who has featured only once since joining Lincoln City on loan all featured in the U21s as they impressively beat Liverpool 3-2 at Playford Road.

First-team players have rarely featured for the U21s in recent years even when coming back from injury and McKenna was asked whether the step up to category one means that senior players gain more from playing in John McGreal and Chris Casement’s side.

“It’s not just that, but I think Cam Humphreys will have done,” he said. “He’s developed now and he’s a first-team player in his own right.

“It’s not like we would never have done it. I remember Richard Keogh and Kane Vincent-Young playing in a U21s game away at Peterborough a few years ago, so it’s not the only time.

“But if you’re playing against Liverpool or a really strong academy then that guarantees the strength of the game a little bit more, maybe guarantees the quality of the pitch or the surface. Things like that are important.

“I don’t think it’s something that we’ll use every week, we’ll still back our training programme to get the players as fit as they need to be, but in certain instances or in different circumstances it’s useful to have that fixture list to use it for some of our players when they need minutes.”

Photo: TWTD

Bazza8564 added 15:51 - Oct 3 No injuries, excellent id like the same side that started against Portsmouth please
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Billysherlockblue added 16:32 - Oct 3 I'd like kipre to play. We looked safer on dead ball situations when he played the last day. Plus he didn't give bishop a ball. Just my opinion. What ye think?
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BobbyPetta11 added 16:48 - Oct 3 Apart from when they scored from a corner. I do agree though Greaves clearance against Liverpool last season at home when they scored was enough for me
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tractorboybig added 16:49 - Oct 3 there will be loads of changes anyway and kipre is a liability
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StowTractor added 17:16 - Oct 3 Kipre looks solid but Greaves saved us from conceding near the end against Bristol City the other night. A good selection headache for McKenna to have.
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armchaircritic59 added 18:11 - Oct 3 Curiously, I thought Greaves best performances last season were when he deputised at left back. Not sure what to make of that, but it's at least food for thought, though it's hard to see him there when LD is fit and firing.
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Linkboy13 added 14:31 - Oct 4 Greaves will start because he's left sided Kipre is suited more to centre back and cover for O'shea.
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