Dutchman Pim Balkestein looks set to return to the Town starting line-up this evening when the Blues take on Southampton at Portman Road (KO 7.45pm). Full-back Moritz Volz has joined Danny Haynes and Ben Thatcher on the sidelines, but Iván Campo is back in the squad.

Volz limped off at Preston on Saturday with a recurrence of his groin injury and was replaced at right-back by Alex Bruce, with Balkestein coming off the bench to join Gareth McAuley at centre-half.

Boss Jim Magilton seems likely to start with the former Heerenveen youngster alongside skipper McAuley with Bruce at right-back and David Wright on the left.

Another option might be to play Balkestein on the left and Wright on the right and Bruce in the centre, but Magilton has been loath to use the Dutchman at full-back since the opening weeks of the season.

Campo is back after being out of action since January with a torn calf muscle, but is only likely to make the bench. The Spaniard may be involved in Wednesday's reserve game at home to Luton (Playford Road, 2pm). Ben Thatcher is out with a foot injury.

In midfield, Magilton may well stick with the four which helped the Blues to dominate Saturday's game at Preston, although Jon Walters will be wanting a return to the side. The former Chester man is most likely to come in on the right for David Norris, as he did in the second half at Deepdale.

Alan Quinn and Tommy Miller have impressed as the central pairing, while Luciano Civelli is gradually finding his feet in English football on the left. Danny Haynes is back in training after his hamstring problem and could return for next Tuesday's game at Wolves.

Up front, Magilton has hinted that Kevin Lisbie will come into the side for a start after doing well from the bench on Saturday. The ex-Colchester man could replace Pablo Couñago after combining well with Jon Stead in a number of away games this season.

Assistant manager John Gorman says Town have a squad which gives the management plenty of options, with the likes of Walters, Lisbie, Veliche Shumulikoski and Owen Garvan out of the XI in recent weeks: "Lads of that quality can't even get in the side and I really rate them. They could come in at any time and I'd feel just as comfortable if they were playing.

"The boys in the side are really doing the business, though, and deserve a lot of credit for the way they're working and performing.

"But we're lucky to have such quality on the bench, because football is as much about your substitutes as your starting XI.

"It's great that we can make changes during a game and bring on these big impact players.”

Southampton, currently third from bottom on 34 points, have picked up more victories away from home than they have at St Mary's, having won five, drawn three and lost eight on the road and won three, drawn seven and lost eight at home.

Head coach Mark Wotte, who played in the same Feyenoord team as Pim Balkestein's father Luuk, says he will name an unchanged side after two victories on the trot: "Everybody's fit. Paul Wotton is back and I have added Oscar Gobern and Matt Paterson to the group to give me more options on the bench.

"Not changing a winning team I think is a good strategy. We are travelling with more players and we may have Jake Thomson back after today – if Bournemouth don't sort out their financial problems he will be back.

"Ollie Lancashire is also back from injury as well and Romain Gasmi and other young players like Jack Boyle are kicking on.

"I'm very sorry for Kayne McLaggon that he will be out for six months, but of course we will need a lot of players in this two weeks.”

McLaggon, who has an achilles problem, is one of a number of long-term absentees, along with Lee Holmes (knee), Michael Svensson (achilles), Wayne Thomas (knee) and Jamie White (ankle). Adam Lallana picked up a leg injury during the 1-0 win against Cardiff at the weekend but is now not considered a doubt.

Overall, Town have had the better of the Saints over the years. The Blues have won 25 games between the sides (24 in the league), Southampton 19 (15) with 18 (18) matches ending in draws.

Earlier in the season, the sides played out a 2-2 draw at St Mary's with Owen Garvan and Alan Quinn scoring for Town and Andrew Surman and Tomas Pekhart netting for the home side.

At Portman Road last season, goals from Jon Walters and Pablo Couñago gave Town a 2-0 win.

Kelvin Davis is the only former Blue in the Southampton squad at present, although Rudi Skácel came close to joining Town for £1 million in the summer, but the deal ultimately fell through. Malcolm Webster is the Southampton goalkeeper-coach having fulfilled a similar role with the Blues under George Burley's management.

Richard Wright spent time on loan at St Mary's at the end of last season, while Blues boss Jim Magilton played for the Saints between 1994 and 1997 alongside academy coach Richard Hall.

TWTD issue 96 will be on sale around the ground from our sellers (by Sir Alf, outside Planet Blue, next to the Portman Road entrance to the Greene King Stand) from 6pm. If you're not at the game, single copies or six-issue subscriptions can be purchased from here, where there are also special offers which could see you receive TWTD for free.

Additionally, the new Ipswich ‘Til I Die book will be on sale at the TWTD stall next to Sir Alf from Ipswich Town Ist. This is also available for purchase online from TWTD here.

Tuesday's referee is Andy D'Urso from Billericay, who has shown 51 yellow and four red cards in 30 games so far this season. D'Urso's last Town game was the 2-0 defeat at Colchester last April in which he booked only Sito.

Likely squad: R Wright, Supple, D Wright, Bruce, McAuley, Balkestein, Campo, Quinn, Miller, Garvan, Shumulikoski, Norris, Civelli, Walters, Lisbie, Couñago, Stead, Bowditch.

Photo: Action Images

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