Ipswich Town are facing a bone fide injury crisis, but manager Mick McCarthy has no regrets about not making more additions during the January transfer window.

The Blues squad has been pushed to breaking point ahead of tomorrow’s game at relegation-battling Bristol City.

Seven players are now sidelined through injury or suspension, with key men Ryan Fraser and Cole Skuse joining long-term absentees David McGoldrick and Teddy Bishop in the treatment room for the coming weeks.

Now left scrambling around for some 93-day ‘emergency’ loans, Fulham winger Ben Pringle a confirmed addition and a central midfielder still on the shopping list, McCarthy said: “No (I have no regrets about January), because I wasn’t going to be able to say to someone ‘please come in on loan and sit on the bench just in case Cole Skuse or Ryan Fraser gets injured’.

“I looked at options then and everybody said ‘am I going to play?’ There was not a chance that anyone was going to come in and be second fiddle. Maybe now I can say to people ‘you’re going to play.’ It’s a different ball game.”

He continued: “I was happy with my squad, but that was before someone went around with a machine gun and a chainsaw and took them all out! Four of them – Didzy (McGoldrick,) Bish, Ryan and Skusey – they would be regulars in the team if they’re all fit. We’ve still got options though and we’ll go down to Bristol and make the best of it.

“They are just outside the bottom three and we are just outside the top six, so it’s an important game for both of us.”

On his search for another midfielder, he said: “I was trying to take a player this week and the first thing the manager asks is ‘are you going to play him?’ I said ‘he’ll start on Saturday’ – and he’s still not coming!”

Would he consider a Premier League youngster? “Yes I would, but if you’ve got a few injuries, and you’re working outside of the tried and tested, then you have to ask ‘is that fair to him?’ It might not be fair to the lads either, putting a youngster alongside them who hasn’t got that much Championship experience. We’ll see.”