Kieran McKenna issues extensive Ipswich Town injury update ahead of Fleetwood clash | OneFootball

Whilst two Championship teams are back in action this weekend following a short break for the start of the FIFA World Cup, Leagues One and Two have been carrying on with their schedules.

And the latest set of third tier fixtures kicks off on Friday evening as Ipswich Town, who currently sit in second position with just Plymouth Argyle ahead of them, welcome Scott Brown’s Fleetwood to Portman Road.

It is an arduous task for the Cod Army, especially with such a long trek to Suffolk, but if there is any boost to their hopes then it is that several Ipswich first-teamers have been struggling with injuries in recent times.

Head coach Kieran McKenna had to name a whole host of young players on the bench for their 4-0 demolition job of non-league side Buxton in the FA Cup last weekend, but there was more strength in depth for their most recent league encounter, which was a 2-0 success over Exeter City.

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There is good news for Tractor Boys fans on the injury front however, as McKenna has confirmed that several players have returned to training ahead of a potential return to league action.

These may not include Sone Aluko, who suffered a knee issue in August, Lee Evans who is also the sufferer of a knee complaint, and also Marcus Harness, who had to undergo surgery in the last week following his own injury to his knee.

But the likes of Janoi Donacien, Freddie Ladapo, Greg Leigh and Panutche Camara, who have been saddled with all kinds of different problems ranging from calf strains to groin injuries, could all feature against Fleetwood.

“To be fair we’ve had a good week on the injury front in general,” McKenna told the East Anglian Daily Times.

“Sone Aluko has returned to training well ahead of schedule and has looked terrific, which is a big boost.

“Lee Evans is recovering well now and is starting to get some work in on the grass as well. So he’s a little bit ahead of schedule too.

“And Marcus is straight back to work in the gym with no crutches or braces or anything like that.

“Janoi, Freddie, Greg and Panutche- the injuires that are hopefully a little bit more short-term – some of them are going to make it tomorrow, for some of them it’s probably going to be a little bit early to start and some won’t make the squad.

“With the injuries that we’ve had I don’t want to reveal which ones because, with the numbers we’ve got, I’d pretty much be announcing our team to Fleetwood more than 24 hours before the game. That wouldn’t do us any favours.

“Some of the boys will make, some will just miss out. We won’t take any risks. We feel like we’ve got a competitive team that can win the game.”

The Verdict

Even with multiple injuries, Ipswich have some amazing squad depth for League One level.

Their squad looks more like a Championship one, so it is no surprise to see where they are in the table, regardless of the fact they have suffered with a lot of injuries.

The current treatment table at the Tractor Boys training ground must be full to the brim, but that is what happens when there is a packed fixture list with multiple competitions to consider.

Should McKenna get some of his short-term injured players back though for Friday night, then Fleetwood ought to be afraid of what Ipswich could cook up against them.