Aaron Cresswell, Tyrone Mings, Luke Hyam and Anthony Wordsworth are all injury concerns for Ipswich Town heading into Saturday’s Championship opener at Reading.

Cresswell – who played every minute of every game for Town last season – has struggled with a thigh strain throughout pre-season and limped off just 10 minutes into last weekend’s 3-3 draw at Notts County.

Tyrone Mings would be his natural replacement, but the 20-year-old – who was signed from non-league side Chippenham Town last December and made his Championship debut in the curtain-closer at Burnley – has tonsillitis.

The Blues have first year professional David October as a further option, while Tommy Snith could move to left-back to allow new signing Christophe Berra to start at centre-back.

“He is a doubt,” said McCarthy, when asked about Cresswell. “We’ll have a look tomorrow (Friday) but he’s doubtful. He started on Saturday at Notts County and looked great for 10 minutes, but then he just pulled up.

“If he has to miss a game and be ready for the next 45 that will be fine.

“The real issue with Cressie is that he played every minute of every game last season. There’s a sense of pride wanting to start this one.”

Asked if Mings was ready to deputise, the Blues boss said: “Oh yeah, I have no worries about that. My only worry about him is that he came in with tonsillitis and mouth ulcers today. He feels okay in himself, he’s not feeling run down or tired or out of kilter too much. I’m sure he’ll be fit.

“I’ve got no worries about playing him at all because he was terrific at Burnley.”

Asked if there were any other injury concerns, the Blues boss said: “Woody (Anthony Wordsworth) is a doubt (calf), Luke Hyam has had a problem with his groin and didn’t train today – we’ll have to wait and see on him.

“Frank (Nouble) hadn’t trained but trained today. There’s a few were worried about, but if they’re not fit then we’ll play somebody else.”

– See tomorrow’s EADT and Ipswich Star for all the latest Blues news.