Ipswich Town boss Mick McCarthy is hopeful that Joe Garner and Tom Adeyemi will both be fit to face Norwich City in the East Anglian derby at Portman Road on Sunday lunchtime (12pm k0).

Fiery striker Garner, who has become an instant hit with Blues fans since his summer switch from Rangers, missed last Saturday’s 1-0 defeat at Sheffield United due to some swelling on his knee.

The man who has netted four goals and ruffled plenty of feathers looks perfectly suited for the passion of a derby.

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McCarthy said last weekend that he was ‘quietly hopeful’ that Garner would be fit to face the Canaries. Speaking this lunchtime, he said: “I’m slightly more quietly hopeful that he’ll be aright for the derby now.

“He’s trained today, not with us, but he’s been out with the physios and done what he needed to do to be out with us tomorrow morning and have a chance of playing.

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“Despite the fact that he’s been out for a couple of weeks, he is the sort of character that could come straight into the team if fit.

“There isn’t a like-for-like replacement and he is a really important player for us. I thought he would be when I signed him and he’s turned out to be that.

“We’ll thank the fixture computer that this game is on a Sunday because it’s given him a chance to play.”

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Meanwhile, midfieler Adeyemi – who grew up in Norwich and was released by the Canaries after making just 17 senior starts – is also set to return to action after missing the last two games with a hamstring problem.

“He’s trained really well for the last two days,” said McCarthy. “I think he’s passing himself fit to be involved. If he has no reaction to his training come tomorrow morning then he should be fine.”

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Meanwhile, centre-back Tommy Smith – who has missed most of 2017 following back surgery and subsequent set-backs – may not be fit enough to feature.

“He had a bit of a back spasm yesterday,” explained McCarthy. “He’ll be alright. Whether he’s fit for Sunday or not is another matter.”

Emyr Huws (Achilles), Teddy Bishop (rehabbing after groin surgery), Luke Hyam (knee) and Andre Dozzell (knee) all remain sidelined.

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Norwich City have a lengthy absentee lists including: Alex Tettey (calf), Josh Murphy (broken toe), Russell Martin (abductor), Steven Naismith (ankle), Alex Pritchard (ankle), Jamal Lewis (knee), Louis Thompson (Achilles), Matt Jarvis (leg) and Marley Watkins (suspended).

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