Mick McCarthy is hopeful of having Cole Skuse available at Bolton, but Daryl Murphy is more of a doubt and is an outsider to make the bench.

Skuse has missed the last four games after injuring toe ligaments at Queen’s Park Rangers, while Murphy was ruled out of the win over Nottingham Forest with calf trouble.

The Irish striker could possibly make the bench, but Skuse and Jonathan Douglas (stitches in his foot) should be back for the trip to the league’s bottom side.

“Yes, I’m hoping as he’s (Skuse) come through his training sessions and he’s fine,” McCarthy said.

“We’ll see how he (Murph) is today, there’s a lingering hope we might get him on the bench.”

Kevin Bru came off at half time in the game against Forest due to illness, but McCarthy says the midfielder has made a remarkable recovery.

“Lazarus is fine!” McCarthy said.

“I rang him yesterday expecting a sick sounding Kevin Bru but he was fine and he was on his way in.

“It must have just been something he needed to get out of his system.”