Mick McCarthy isn’t banking on Jonny Williams playing for Ipswich Town again following the loanee’s return to parent club Crystal Palace.

The Premier League club haven’t officially recalled the 21-year-old, but they have requested he undergo rehab for a thigh injury – which is set to sideline him for at least a month – back at Selhurst Park.

Williams’ second loan spell at Portman Road is due to expire on December 31 and McCarthy is preparing himself for the worst case scenario given the Eagles are just outside the relegation zone following a five-game winless run.

“Jonny was around the place, but they have called him back,” revealed the Blues boss, who labelled the wild lunge by Watford’s Joel Ekstrand, which injured Williams in the recent 1-0 win for Town and put him out of the Wales squad, as ‘cyncial and violent’.

“I spoke to Neil (Warnock) on Monday and they wanted him back so their physios could look at him. Now, having seen him, they want him to do his rehab there. I can understand that. We all think we do the best job.

“Whether that will take him to the end of his loan I don’t know. They’ve got a recall on him anyway. And I think they need all hands to the pump there.” He continued: “It might be four weeks to get him back training. And if he’s out for four weeks it could then be another two weeks before he’s fully fit bearing in mind he’s had a number of injuries.

“He’s a tough little devil. He gets kicked from pillar to post and all his injuries seem to be really hefty knocks. I don’t know... It will probably keep him out until the end of his loan and I think they want to take a look at him anyway.”

Meanwhile, keeper Dean Gerken and midfielder Cole Skuse are both fit again, following groin injuries, ahead of Saturday’s match at Bournemouth – a second versus fourth Championship clash.

Bartosz Bialkowski has deputised for Gerken for the last three games – successive victories against Blackpool, Wolves and Watford – while Jay Tabb has done well in Skuse’s absence, the latter limping off in the early stages of the second half at Blackpool.

Luke Hyam is also available again after missing the Watford win through suspension.

The quartet of Town players who have been away on international duty have all returned injury-free. Strike duo Daryl Murphy and David McGoldrick played 75 minutes of the Republic of Ireland’s 4-1 home friendly win over USA on Tuesday night, defender Tommy Smith played two whole matches for New Zealand – in China and Thailand – while fellow centre-back Christophe Berra was an unused sub for Scotland in games against Ireland and England.

On his goalkeeper selection headache, McCarthy said: “It’s great isn’t it? It’s better than having just one available and worrying about an injury. It is a tough call. We’ll see.”

– See tomorrow’s EADT and Ipswich Star for McCarthy’s thoughts on Tyrone Mings transfer speculation and David McGoldrick on his memorable week.