Birmingham v Ipswich: Mick McCarthy has made just two changes to the side which went down to a limp 3-0 home defeat to Sheffield Wednesday last weekend.

The new Ipswich Town boss said on Thursday that he had been ‘impressed with one or two youngsters’, but has dropped Luke Hyam and Josh Carson from the squad completely – despite the fact that the homegrown were the only two to come out of the last game with any credit.

They are replaced by Guirane N’Daw and Nigel Reo-Coker in midfielder, the former having fallen out of favour with previous boss Paul Jewell and the later having been rested due to his lack of match fitness.

It’s understood that McCarthy will start with a 4-4-2 formation, with Daryl Murphy – a player who McCarthy had at Sunderland – set to partner DJ Campbell up front. Richie Wellens will take up a left-wing position, with Lee Martin on the right.

Birmingham are unchanged following their 1-0 win at Leeds last weekend, with strikers Nikola Zigic and Peter Lovenkrands – available again following suspension and injury respectively – on the bench.

Birmingham City (4-4-2): Butland; Robinson, Davies, Caldwell, Murphy; Redmond, Mullins, Morrison, Elliott; Lita, King.

Subs: Doyle, Packwood, Diop, Ambrose, Burke, Lovenkrands, Zigic.

Ipswich Town (4-4-2): Henderson; Edwards, Chambers, Higginbotham, Cresswell; Martin, N’Daw, Reo-Coker, Wellens; Murphy, Campbell.

Subs: Loach, Smith, Mohsni, Drury, Emmanuel-Thomas, Chopra, Scotland.

Referee: Stuart Atwell