Town boss Paul Lambert believes the Blues can go toe-to-toe with anyone in the Championship at present and says his side go into Saturday’s game against his old club Stoke full of confidence after their performances against Norwich and Derby.
Town s excellent home form faces its biggest test of the season on Saturday when second-placed Watford bring the division s top away record to Portman Road. The Blues have few injury concerns aside from Alan Quinn, who has a minor ankle problem.
Luke Hyam and new loanee Tyrone Barnett are set to come into the Town side which faces Nottingham Forest at Portman Road this evening. Midfielder Hyam will take over from Nigel Reo-Coker, who is out with a hamstring problem, while Michael Chopra will probably drop to the bench to allow Barnett to make his Blues debut.
Guirane N’Daw, Luke Hyam and Daryl Murphy were on target as Town climbed out of the bottom three by beating Nottingham Forest 3-1 at Portman Road. Forest keeper Lee Camp should already have been sent off before he and ex-Blues loanee Danny Collins failed to deal with a long ball and N’Daw netted his first goal for Town. Blackstock equalised for the visitors after the break but Hyam slammed in his first for the Blues after Campbell’s penalty had been saved and Murphy added the third late on.