Ipswich v Leicester: IPSWICH Town nemesis David Nugent has failed his fitness test ahead of today’s game at Portman Road.

The striker – who has scored 11 goals in 11 games against Town – does not even make the Leicester City bench due to the neck injury which kept him out of the Foxes’ 3-0 win over Blackburn on Tuesday night.

Nigel Pearson’s side are unchanged from that game as they attempt to close the gap on second-place Watford following their 1-1 draw at Wolves last night.

Ipswich are also unchanged following their ugly goalless draw at Huddersfield last weekend.

Jay Emmanuel-Thomas is on the bench for the first time in nine games though after impressing manager Mick McCarthy in Monday’s 4-3 Under-21 win over Colchester United. He replaces Elliott Hewitt in the squad.

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IPSWICH TOWN (4-4-2): Henderson; Stearman, Chambers, Smith, Cresswell; Edwards (cpt), N’Daw, Hyam, Martin; Chopra, McGoldrick.

Subs: Loach, Kisnorbo, Drury, Emmanuel-Thomas, Mclean, Murphy, Nouble.

LEICESTER CITY (4-4-2): Schmeichel; De Laet, Morgan (cpt), Keane, Konchesky; Knockaert, King, Drinkwater, Marshall; Kane, Wood.

Subs: Logan, Whitbread, Wellens, Dyer, Gallagher, Vardy, Waghorn.

Referee: Darren Deadman