Mick McCarthy is ‘very optimistic’ both Daryl Murphy and Cole Skuse will return from injury for Saturday’s trip to Cardiff.

Skuse has been missing since the trip to QPR with toe ligament trouble while Murphy didn’t feature in either of the clashes with Nottingham Forest and Bolton due to calf trouble, but trained today and McCarthy hopes they will be involved.

Kevin Bru and Ben Pringle both picked up knocks against Bolton while Kevin Foley also took a bang to his ribs, but the Ipswich boss is confident they will all be available.

“Very promising actually,” McCarthy said when asked about Murphy and Skuse.

“I’ve just spoken to both of them and they’ve been out working on the training ground and are both very optimistic they’ll be ready for Saturday.

“(Bru and Pringle) both look like they will be ok,

“Kevin Foley took a nasty bang on the ribs on top of a bang on the ribs he’s had before, he’s suffering a little bit, but I’m optimistic they will all be ok.”