Ipswich Town attacker Sammie Szmodics can feel optimistic of a return to the first XI for Saturday's Premier League showdown with Brentford at the Gtech Community Stadium.
The Tractor Boys remain winless in the 2024-25 top-flight season thanks to last weekend's 2-0 loss at home to Everton, where a blunder from Wes Burns gifted Iliman Ndiaye the Toffees' opening goal.
Burns only lasted 63 minutes before making way for Conor Chaplin, who is another option to come into the final third, but Kieran McKenna could side with summer signing Szmodics out wide instead.
Jack Clarke, Omari Hutchinson and Liam Delap ought to welcome Szmodics back to the attacking quartet - the latter has made 263 pressures in the current Premier League season, second only to Dominic Solanke's 282 out of all strikers.
Further back, the midfield pairing of Sam Morsy and Manchester City loanee Kalvin Phillips should remain untouched, and McKenna is counting the cost of injuries in defence.
Dara O'Shea will likely be pressed into action at right-back once more, while Cameron Burgess, Luke Woolfenden and Leif Davis - who has just signed a new deal at Portman Road - also protect Arijanet Muric.
Axel Tuanzebe (hand), Jacob Greaves (hamstring), Ben Johnson (unspecified), Massimo Luongo and Janoi Donacien (both ankle) will all miss this game for Ipswich, while Jens Cajuste (knee) and Ali Al Hamadi (groin) require late fitness tests.
Ipswich Town possible starting lineup:
Muric; O'Shea, Woolfenden, Burgess, Davis; Phillips, Morsy; Szmodics, Hutchinson, Clarke; Delap
> Click here to see how Brentford could line up for this match
Ben Knapton
