Ipswich Town vs Cardiff City (Team News)

Cardiff City travel to Ipswich Town tonight, and will again have to piece together a makeshift side bereft of a number of key players.

The return of creative midfielder Stephen McPhail to training is a welcome boost for us, but McPhail will not be available for tonight's game and will instead target a return to action on the weekend. He is out, along with fellow midfielders Peter Whittingham (groin), Joe Ledley (hip) and Kelvin Etuhu (ankle).

That means that Gavin Rae and Darcy Blake will reprise their impressive roles against Middlesbrough and make the platform for Burke and McCormack to push on.

Gabor Gyepes will continue in defence, despite a back complaint. We are short of options in that area with captain Mark Hudson (ankle) still on crutches. Left-back Mark Kennedy is not yet fully fit so Tony Capaldi will again be on the bench, despite a nervy cameo against Boro.


Ipswich Town will be without midfielder Grant Leadbitter who is suspended following 10 yellow cards. Former Cardiff City target Owen Garvan will likely be his replacement. On-loan Sunderland man Jack Colback is abother option for ITFC boss Roy Keane.

Argentinian midfielder Luciano Civelli remains sidelined with a long term knee injury.

Good news for Cardiff City is that the Tractor Boys striker Jon Stead is currently on loan at Coventry City so will not play. Stead is somewhat of an unlucky omen for the Bluebirds and always seems to score against us. In fact, the former Sheff Utd frontman scored against Cardiff City every time he has pleyed against us for Ipswich Town - this season in a 2-1 defeat for City, and in both games last season (2-1 win away, and 3-0 defeat at home.

Click here to join in the debate on the club forum.