Australian midfielder James Wesolowski is the latest City player to face a spell on the sidelines, beginning at Portman Road tonight after he hurt his hamstring in Leicester's 2-1 defeat at home to West Brom on Saturday.

Holloway, whose team are one of six in Coca-Cola Championship action this evening, is resigned to losing Wesolowski until Christmas at the earliest.

"It's a big blow for us," said the manager.

"It looks like he'll be out for the next couple of games. That's disappointing."

Defeat against the title-chasing Baggies was an added setback, but Holloway retains faith in the squad he inherited last month.

"We've got some injuries and we've got a lot of young players in the squad, but I don't think we deserved to lose," added the ex-Plymouth boss.

While Leicester were coming unstuck against West Brom at the weekend, Ipswich were losing 3-1 at Charlton - a performance which continued their winless run away from Suffolk, and infuriated manager Jim Magilton.

The Blues may still be a handful for anyone at Portman Road. But after their run of home victories ended with a stalemate against Barnsley at the start of this month, they have followed up with defeats at Bristol City and then at Charlton.

Magilton has reacted by leaving his players in little doubt that they must improve.

If they do not, they may not be plying their trade for Ipswich much longer because the boss is threatening a January clear-out.

Magilton is expected to be handed a £12million transfer kitty when his club's takeover is rubber-stamped - and he has already had plenty of time to think about how he may want to spend it.

"I want quality, character and people who will stand up and be counted - because at the moment I don't have enough of those," he said.

While Ipswich hope home comforts can work for them again, tonight's other fixtures present play-off hopefuls Burnley with an opportunity to chalk up three points against bottom club QPR at Turf Moor, and Blackpool can leapfrog Cardiff in lower mid-table if they win at Bloomfield Road.