Early Ipswich Town team news emerges pre-Middlesbrough - Kieran McKenna has confirmed situation | OneFootball

Kieran McKenna has given updates on the availability of three key players ahead of the Middlesbrough clash on Sunday

Ipswich Town suffered a gut-punch of a midweek defeat against relegation-battling Portsmouth, but they cannot afford to let it affect them heading into a crunch match with Middlesbrough on Sunday.

A win at Fratton Park on Tuesday would have sent the Tractor Boys five points clear of Millwall in third and six clear of Southampton and Boro ahead of the weekend, with a game in hand over all three, too.

Instead, the Lions may have overtaken them come kickoff at Portman Road if they return to winning ways against QPR on Saturday, and Middlesbrough can pull level with Kieran McKenna's side if they pick up a big three points this weekend.

Kieran McKenna gives updates on Leif Davis, Azor Matusiwa and Wes Burns availability for Middlesbrough

It'll need to be all hands on deck for Ipswich over the coming five games if they are to maintain their place inside the top two, so in his pre-Boro press conference, Kieran McKenna was happy to reveal that, for the most part, the squad is at full strength.

Azor Matusiwa, who suffered a dead leg in the win over Birmingham City on Easter Monday, played with heavy strapping against Portsmouth and was taken off in the 58th minute. However, he should be available on Sunday with the injury improving each day.

"I think he's in a better place," McKenna said. "Day by day, it's getting better, so he's in a better place now than he was a week ago. That's it, hopefully he'll be available for the squad."

Leif Davis, who missed Portsmouth due to the birth of his first child, has been back in training over the past few days, and the Ipswich boss is eager to welcome him back properly, as he only just returned from a three-match suspension last weekend against Norwich City.

"He's been training with us for the last few days. A little more tired as most new fathers are, but he's trained with the group for the last few days," he added.

"We're delighted to have him back in the squad now for Sunday, and he probably hasn't had as many minutes in the last six weeks as you'd want, but on the other hand, he should be nice and fresh, and we've got a lot of games coming up."

Unfortunately, though, Wes Burns is likely to remain out for a few more weeks after suffering a setback to the calf problem he sustained in the win over Sheffield Wednesday last month.

"He's too far away. It's just that little hurdle that is tricky, especially when coming back from an injury, and he's just had a little setback in his recovery. It's nothing major, but he's not quite been able to make that last step, yet," the Ipswich boss said.

He did state that he'll be a day-to-day injury, though, so the 31-year-old should be in line for a return before the end of the season.

Ipswich Town's injury news will give them a much-needed boost ahead of Middlesbrough meeting

Heading into a jam-packed run-in, Ipswich will need to have everyone available to help them over the line, especially given that the run-in sees them take on both Middlesbrough and Southampton, two of those sides vying with them for a top-two place.

The automatic promotion hunt is still in their hands, and it still will be if they lose at Portman Road on Sunday, but that can't be the mindset in the changing room, as a win would all but certainly eliminate Boro's chances of finishing above them.

The opposite, however, would not only pull Kim Hellberg's side to within touching distance but also give Millwall and Southampton a confidence boost if they're able to make ground, or even climb above them, this weekend.

With a near-full squad available, paired with the fact that Hayden Hackney and Morgan Whittaker's availability is not certain for their opponents, the Tractor Boys should have enough in the tank to power past a Boro squad that is winless in their last six.

If they can do that and put the disappointment against Pompey behind them immediately, it'll be advantage Ipswich once more in the race for second place.