Ipswich Town to make late fitness checks on Kalvin Phillips and Jens Cajuste for Premier League fixture against Brentford at Portman Road

Ipswich Town manager Kieran McKenna has revealed that a late call will be made on the availability of Kalvin Phillips and Jens Cajuste for tomorrow’s home Premier League clash against Brentford.

The midfield duo, both of whom are on loan with the Tractor Boys, both have ‘ongoing issues’ that require further assessment before they could potentially come into McKenna’s plans for the visit of the Bees.

McKenna said: “(We’re) still struggling a little bit with Kalvin Phillips and Jens Cajuste in terms of the ongoing issues they have and getting them fully available to train and get to their best.

“So they're both in and around it, but we'll have to make a decision tomorrow because both still carrying injuries.”

Neither Conor Townsend (hamstring) nor Nathan Broadhead (thigh) will recover from their respective problems to feature at Portman Road, while Sammie Szmodics also remains sidelined.

Szmodics has not played for the Tractor Boys since late February because of an ankle injury, but McKenna believes that the attacker could return before the end of the campaign.

“There's still a chance for him to be involved this season (in the) last couple of games,” added the Town boss.

“He's not too far away, he's rehabbing well and he's working out in the grass. He’s not with a group yet, but hopefully he'll be around in the next few weeks.”

Left-back Leif Davis will also miss the game through suspension, but fellow full-back Ben Johnson will be available after serving his ban.

McKenna, meanwhile, is also well aware of the threat that this weekend’s visitors will pose.

In Bryan Mbeumo and Yoane Wissa, Brentford have two of the division’s most in-form forwards, while their ability to cause problems from set-pieces is well known.

McKenna said: “Like always, you have to account at this level for the opposition's threats. It's clear to see what they're very, very good at. They've got a front four that are in fantastic form and they serve them really quickly and really well and they like to attack the big space as well.

“We need to make sure that we manage those situations well and manage those individuals well. We know they're very good at putting bodies into the box and when they're attacking the third phase, they commit a lot of bodies to the box and they cross it and they put pressure on your goal. And of course, they've been for quite a few years now one of the best set-piece teams in the league.

“They've got some real good strengths and principles as a team and individually, of course, got players in real good form. So we need to account for all of that, but at the same time then we need to go and impose ourselves and have belief in ourselves and what we can do and what we've shown at different times this season.

“We believe that we can compete against them on any given day, but we know to do that, we're going to have to perform really, really well.”