IT WILL be Ipswich Town under pressure when they play fellow relegation strugglers Sheffield Wednesday at Hillsborough tomorrow (kick-off 3pm).

Elvin King

IT WILL be Ipswich Town under pressure when they play fellow relegation strugglers Sheffield Wednesday at Hillsborough tomorrow (kick-off 3pm).

So says Stoke City midfielder Tom Soares, who is currently on loan with the Owls.

Town go into the match one point behind the Yorkshire-based side.

A win for Wednesday and they will open a significant gap on Ipswich. A win for the visitors and they will overtake their opponents and escape the drop zone.

“They'll be coming here worried about us,” said Soares. “If we finish our chances we can make life very difficult for them.

“It's important that we get three points, but every game between now and the end of the season will be important to us.

“We've all got an opportunity to go out there and prove a point, after Tuesday's home defeat to Doncaster.

“I don't think that game has disrupted the way we feel: we know our jobs; we know what we have to do.”

Wednesday are set to be unchanged with ex-Town player Tommy Miller only having returned to full training this week after a three-month lay-off with a hamstring tear.

Former Ipswich goalkeeping coach Andy Rhodes is now in a similar position at Hillsborough having followed manager Alan Irvine across the Pennines from Preston.

Town boss Roy Keane has a left-back dilemma to solve with midfielders Jack Colback and Jaime Peters filling the role over the previous two matches.

When Ipswich were enjoying more security at the back then they are now around the turn of the New Year, David Wright was holding down that position and it may be in Keane's best interests to recall him.

And if he feels the Owls offer a physical threat them another recognised defender Pim Balkestein could be the answer.

Even 'Mr Reliable' Grant Leadbitter was hauled off unceremoniously against Peterborough on Tuesday, so midfield places are up for grabs as well while up front Pablo Counago is a likely starter beside Daryl Murphy.

The Spaniard is now the only serious alternative to David Healy who is taking time to find his feet after being in the wilderness at Sunderland so before his move to Portman Road.

Tomorrow's likely squads

Sheffield Wednesday: Grant, Purse, Simek, Spurr, Beevers, Potter, Soares, Gray, O'Connor, Tudgay, Varney, Clarke, Esajas, Hinds, McAllister, Boden, Lekaj, Jameson.

Ipswich Town: Lee-Barrett, B Murphy, Rosenior, McAuley, Delaney, D Wright, Balkestein, Peters, Walters, Leadbitter, Norris, Colback, Garvan, Quinn, Edwards, D Murphy, Counago, Healy, Martin, Wickham.

Referee: Mr M P Russell (Hertfordshire).