Town have further selection worries ahead of Saturday's FA Cup tie at home to Bolton with Dean Bowditch and Matt Richards both going down with illness. Bowditch has flu, while Richards is suffering from food poisoning.

Bowditch missed training on Thursday and now looks unlikely to make a rare start against the Trotters.

Should the England U19 not recover, his absence could open the way for Spanish striker Pablo Couñago, who hasn't made an appearance since coming on as a sub in the 2-0 loss at Sunderland in November.

Town manager Joe Royle has said he plans to make changes for the game in order to rest one or two of his regular players.

If Richards is still unwell, his left-back berth will be taken by American loanee Danny Karbassiyoon after Arsenal granted permission for the Blues to field him in cup competition.

Town continue to have a concern regarding central defensive linchpin Richard Naylor, whose injury has been diagnosed as a hip problem rather than a groin injury as originally thought. If Naylor is out then 18-year-old Aidan Collins looks set to make his first senior start.

Photo: Action Images

Ipswich Town Polls