Mick McCarthy says David McGoldrick is back to his best, as the Blues look to plot the downfall of Norwich City, without talismanic frontman, Tom Lawrence.

Loan star Lawrence is suspended for the trip to Carrow Road, as he serves the second game of a two-match ban, which is a big blow for a Town team looking for their first derby-day victory since April 2009.

The Welsh international also missed the 1-1 home draw with Leeds United on Saturday, but his boots were ably filled by McGoldrick who excelled in the role of playmaker and was unlucky not to secure his side all three points.

“He’s been back to his best for a few games,” said Blues boss McCarthy.

“He has been very, very good and that’s down to fitness.

“It’s very hard for someone to keep coming back and to be relied on to be the top player when he’s coming back from injury and he’s not fully fit and we expect more of him.

“He’s a lad as well that gets disappointed if he doesn’t play well and now he is fully-fit, everyone can see the quality he has.”

The likes of McGoldrick, Lawrence and new loan signings Toumani Diagouraga and Emyr Huws have helped go some way to rescuing a season that on the whole, has been a disappointment.

“It’s not rocket science the fact that six or eight weeks ago I had 12 first-team players (fit) and six kids on the bench,” said McCarthy, who has seen his side pick up six points from their last four games.

“It was tough for us all and we were asking the likes of Josh Emmanuel and Myles Kenlock, who have done really well recently, to kind of sort it out when it’s going tough.

“Then, we get Didzy (McGoldrick) back fully-fit and he looks like the quality player we all know.

“We had Emyr Huws playing and Toumani (Diagouraga) playing and it’s just made us far more solid, a far better team and a far more confident team, having experienced players.

“We were asking the likes of Andre Dozzell to come in and play at 17. It’s just not on.

“It’s not unusual that when you get better players in the team ... I tend to be a better manager with good players.”