Town have a number of injury concerns ahead of Saturday's home game with QPR. Fabian Wilnis is the biggest doubt with the groin problem he picked up in the Watford defeat, while Darren Bent, Kevin Horlock and Scott Mitchell are also worries.

Boss Joe Royle says the Dutch full-back is most likely to miss out: "He is rated no more than 50/50 and that is being generous.

"We will have another look at him on Friday and see where we go from there but we have other injuries mounting up as well.

"Darren Bent and Kevin Horlock were both forced to stop training early today. Benty has a sore knee while Kevin is suffering with a sciatica problem."

Drissa Diallo has played at right-back this season but is still not ready after his hamstring problem, while Scott Mitchell, who played there in the FA Cup match with Bolton Wanderers, has also been suffering with sciatica.

Horlock is another player who could be a replacement full-back, if one is required and he is himself fit. Matt Richards or Danny Karbassiyoon might also be considered to play on the opposite side of the pitch to their regular positions.

If Bent fails to make it then Dean Bowditch will come into the starting line-up alongside James Scowcroft, who will miss the Wigan game next week after reaching five bookings. Bent's possible absence may mean a recall to the squad for Pablo Couñago.

Shefki Kuqi is ahead of schedule but the Blues are keen not to do any further damage to his leg injury by bringing him back before he is ready. The Finn is targeting the Wigan game but even that may come too soon for him.

Horlock's place in midfield will be taken by Darren Currie if the former Northern Irishman is out or is required in defence. Currie was left out of the starting line-up against Watford but replaced Ian Westlake shortly after the break.

Royle says that fans shouldn't be too negative despite the defeat against the Hornets: "I could sense a bit of over-reaction when we lost at home to Watford on Tuesday. There were sporadic boos and I really didn't think it was fair.

"We've had one bad result, that's all, and we have still only been beaten six times in the league this season. Nobody ever gives you promotion. You have to go out and earn it and there could be a lot of to-ing and fro-ing between now and the end of the season.

"I never thought we were home and dry when we were six points clear at the top - where we are come May is all that matters.

"The public will always have their say and that's fine, but there were one or two players in the dressing room at the end saying 'God, are we really top?'

"There is no crisis. The boys have been remarkably consistent all season and are keen to get the Watford result out of their system as quickly as possible."

Former Blue Georges Santos will be back at Portman Road for the first time since last summer's move and says he expects a tricky match: "They will be a difficult team to break down and it will be a hard game.

"There will be a lot of pressure on them to win after losing to Watford on Tuesday. The fans will expect them to win and that will make it tougher for us.

"You never know, they could be a bit shaky, but with the experience they have there, they can handle the pressure."

The former Cape Verde Islands international says he is looking forward to catching up with old friends: "I've got some good memories from my time at Ipswich and I still keep in touch with some of the people, but when I'm out there on the pitch, it's football first and then we'll be friends afterwards."

QPR have a number of players back after injuries with Marc Bircham and Martin Rowlands now available for selection. However, they have lost loanee Andrew Davies who has returned to Middlesbrough.

Striker Tony Thorpe is Rangers' only absentee with a hamstring problem, while winger Gareth Ainsworth is back from a similar injury.

Saturday's referee is Premier League official Andy D'Urso, a man with a bit of history against Town. The Billericay official inexplicably sent off John McGreal during Town's 4-1 defeat against Chelsea at Stamford Bridge in 2000/01. This season he has shown 56 yellow and six red cards in 21 games.

He last took control of Town in last season's 2-1 win over Rotherham during which he red-carded Millers' pair Martin McIntosh and Julian Baudet.

Probable squad from: Davis, Price, Wilnis, Unsworth, Richards, Karbassiyoon, Mitchell, De Vos, Naylor, Collins, Magilton, Miller, Horlock, Currie, Westlake, Bent, Scowcroft, Bowditch, Couñago.

Photo: Action Images

Ipswich Town Polls