Ipswich Town: George Hirst, Wes Burns and Omari Hutchinson passed fit for Brighton trip while Nathan Broadhead and Harry Clarke return to training
Ipswich Town boss Kieran McKenna has given positive updates on the availability of three key players ahead of this weekend’s Premier League trip to in-form Brighton & Hove Albion.
The Suffolk side return to action following the first international break of the new season at the American Express (Amex) Stadium in Sussex on Saturday afternoon (3pm).
And they go into the game boosted by the return to fitness of striker George Hirst as well as right-sided attacker Wes Burns and versatile forward Omari Hutchinson,with all three confirmed as available for selection at today’s pre-match press conference.
Hirst underwent knee surgery after breaking down in the home friendly with German outfi Fortuna Dusseldorf last month but has bounced back ahead of schedule, with the most recent update from McKenna having said he would be able to feature ahead of the second international break in October.
Burns has been out since limping off in the second half of the opening day home defeat to Liverpool with a hamstring issue while the club’s record signing, Hutchinson, has started all three Premier League matches ahead of being sent home from his first call-up to the England Under-21s with an at-the-time unknown issue.
And in a further boost, McKenna has also confirmed wide forward Nathan Broadhead and full-back Harry Clarke are also now back on the grass with the rest of the squad with no further issues emerging from the nine players who were away with their counties.
“We've got a full group available,” McKenna said.
“All the boys have come back from international duty well.
“Those who've been here training with us have trained well. And we have our injuries back in and around the group now. So the group's looking really healthy.”
He added: “Wes Burns and George Hirst both trained with the group this week, and Harry Clarke played a little part in training today for the first time, so that looks really positive.”
Asked if Burns and Hirst could be ready for the matchday squad to take on Fabian Hürzeler’s Brighton team, he replied: “It’s not impossible. They’ve trained with the group pretty much all week and are both ahead of schedule really, but both are feeling really good and not feeling any ill effects.
“Of course, we’ll make the right judgment, not just for this weekend and we won’t take any unnecessary risks. But both are available, as it stands today, to be be involved with the squad.”
Quizzed about Hutchinson’s situation, having returned to their training base at Playford Road ahead of England U21’s opening game of the international window against Northern Ireland, he said: “He’s trained the last couple of days. He had a tight hamstring after the Fulham game and didn’t recover for probably six or seven days after that, so he wasn’t able to train when he came back with us.
“But in the latter stages of this week he’s been feeling better and he’s fully trained and, again, will be available.”
Broadhead, Town’s joint top scorer in the Sky Bet Championship last term with 13 goals alongside Hirst, also broke down in pre-season but is also now back among the rest of the squad as he looks to stake his claim in the coming weeks.
“Nathan’s training as well this week, so it’s fantastic to have him back with the quality that he brings,” McKenna said,
“He’s been out for a little bit longer than the other two boys, he was out really from the very first week of pre-season, so he possibly needs a little bit more time to build up, but he’s back full training with the group, so that’s really positive.”
Town go into the game in Sussex looking to add to their first point on their return to the Premier League, picked up in a hard-fought 1-1 draw at home to Fulham last time out.
While that leaves them one place outside of the relegation zone after three games, their weekend opponents are up in third after two wins and a draw to begin life under their 31-year-old German manager.
