Mustapha Carayol has been ruled out of Ipswich Town’s home clash with Sheffield United, while Jonas Knudsen and Joe Garner are also carrying knocks heading into the game.
The winger was replaced after just 25 minutes at Hillsborough due to a groin problem, with McCarthy ruling the 29-year-old out of tomorrow’s game and admitting he may not be fit for either Tuesday’s clash with Hull or a visit to Bristol City on March 17.
Knudsen is suffering with a tight hamstring and will be assessed prior to the game, while Joe Garner continues to deal with a succession of knocks, including one to his knee, which have hampered him in recent weeks.
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“Well he’s not fit for tomorrow,” McCarthy said of Carayol. “We’ll wait and see about Tuesday (Hull) and Bristol City (Saturday) but they both come pretty quick and I’m not that optimistic he will be involved in any of them.”
“Jonas has a bit of a tight hamstring and we’ll see how he is tomorrow, and we’re just looking after Joe a little bit. He’s ok, he’s in the squad.
“Other than that we’re alright.”
On Garner, McCarthy admitted the striker is finding it hard to shake a bang to the knee, but that the striker is the kind of player who will push through regardless of any fitness issues.
“He’s had a bang on his knee and he’s been having to manage that, but not being able to train regularly means you can’t keep going,” McCarthy said.
“There’s a gradual decrease in your fitness and your level if you play on Saturday, can’t train until Thursday or Friday and then keep doing that week in, week out.
“That’s hard to continue doing that – it’s just the bang on his knee that is the problem.
“He comes into my office every morning, we shake hands and I ask him how he’s doing. He says ‘great’ and I know full well as he limps out that he’s not, but I don’t argue with him because he’s that kind of guy. He puts that positive persona on it.”
Tom Adeyemi continues to be absent as he nurses a hamstring injury.
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