By Aston
September 23 2005

Team news, manager previews and more ahead of Town’s trip to Leeds United’s Elland road on Saturday.

Town defender Fabian Wilnis is back after missing the game against Norwich with a groin strain, Nicky Forster is still a couple of weeks away from a return and Ian Westlake is going to be out until around Christmas with an ankle injury. Sito Castro is available after having his red card against Norwich over turned.

 

Town manager Joe Royle: “Leeds have spent heavily and have to be among the promotion contenders, I have always said since I came here that any club that spends £2m on players should go up from this division.

 

“Leeds fans will be thinking that and there will be some expectancy on the club to achieve promotion this season.

 

“We know it will be a tough game but if we go out there and play as we can, keep the ball and have a little more threat on goal then we have a chance.

 

“We have played three of the strongest sides in the Championship over the last few weeks and from what I have seen there is nothing to fear in this division.”

 

 

Town squad: Dean Bowditch, Darren Currie, Jason De Vos, Owen Garvan, Danny Haynes, Kevin Horlock, Jimmy Juan, Jim Magilton, Dean McDonald, Jay McEveley, Richard Naylor, Sam Parkin, Jaime Peters, Lewis Price, Matt Richards, Louis Sito-Castro, Shane Supple, Fabian Wilnis.

 

Leeds boss Kevin Blackwell is with out striker David Healy who is suspended but that is balanced out by the return of Robbie Blake. The Leeds side for tomorrow is likely to changed from the side that beat Rotherham in the Carling Cup in mid-week.

 

Leeds manager Kevin Blackwell: “They lost four good players in Davis the goalkeeper, Bent up top and Tommy Miller in midfield and Shefki Kuqi.

 

“They have spent some money on the likes of Parkin upfront and Foster, and with Jim Magilton, De Vos and Naylor they have kept the bulk of the squad that did well last season.  They are a side that are starting to evolve and they will give us a tough game.

 

“If they had won against Norwich they would have gone six or seventh, and if that's a bad start then there are at least 11 other clubs in the division who would like their start.

 

“Ipswich have a great nucleus of youth, they won the FA Youth Cup, but we know more than anybody that having a team full of youngsters presents you with too many learning curves at one time and that might be Joe's worry at the moment.

 

“But they are a side with good experience and they know they are capable of getting results wherever they go, although they have not been as consistent this season.

 

“Which is the Ipswich that will turn up at Elland Road? Is it the one that's higher and fired up or one that's a little bit off the pace? I hope it's the second.

 

“Ipswich are a passing side, always will be, it's the way they are so we know we have to get in amongst them and play our game.

 

“If we start like we started as well as we did against Brighton and Rotherham, then there's not much more I can ask for.”

 

Officals:

Referee: Mark Halsey (Lancashire)

Assistant Referees: Dave Babski (Lincolnshire) and Nigel Bannister (Yorkshire)

Fourth Official: Gary Sutton (Lincolnshire)

 

Match odds from Coral:

Leeds: 4/6

Draw: 9/4

Ipswich: 7/2

Sources: Ipswich Town and Leeds United – the official websites.

 

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