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Bristol Post
Bristol Post
Sport
Sam Frost

Bristol Rovers predicted team vs Ipswich Town: Luke McCormick in contention for first start

After an unexpected weekend off, league leaders Ipswich Town are the next assignment for Joey Barton's Bristol Rovers.

The Gas travel to Portman Road on Tuesday to take on the League One pace-setters, who are unbeaten in seven games and have 17 points on the board. Barton has made clear his team will not be overawed by a challenge, though, and he will be eager to inflict Ipswich's first defeat of the season.

However, the challenge will be a stiff one with Rovers hampered by a series of absences through injury and suspension at the moment, but the manager will be confident the players selected for the Gas can compete and get a result in Suffolk tonight. Here is how the Gas could line up this evening...

What XI would you select? Have your say in the comments section below...

Goalkeeper and defence

With James Connolly and James Gibbons still weeks away from returning and Lewis Gibson ruled out for this game with a small calf tear, Barton could select an unchanged defence from the back four that drew 2-2 with Morecambe last time out.

James Belshaw will start in goal, with Anssi Jaakkola as his deputy. In front of Rovers' No1, Luca Hoole is set to start on the right side of defence, with Lewis Gordon odd-on to keep his place at left-back.

In the middle, the duo of Alfie Kilgour and Bobby Thomas are likely to be deployed again after being paired together for the first time against Morecambe. Trevor Clarke is set to be among the substitutes and Barton will be hopeful the versatile Josh Grant can be included after an injury-hit start to the season.

Midfield

Jordan Rossiter will fulfil the second game of his three-match ban on Tuesday, following his retrospective ban after a charge of violent conduct against Shrewsbury Town, but the manager still has strong midfield options to call upon.

On the road, this could be a game for an extra body in midfield. Club captain Paul Coutts' is likely to be Rovers' most deep-lying player in the centre of the park and his experience and leadership will be invaluable at a noisy Portman Road.

Sam Finley will offer quality and bite alongside him, with big-game player Antony Evans could be crucial in helping Rovers threaten in the final third.

Glenn Whelan could be among the substitutes, but do not be surprised if he gets the nod for a starting spot either. Zain Westbrooke, Jerry Lawrence and Ryan Jones are also options that could be among the 18.

Attack

This feels like the time to unleash Luke McCormick for the first start of his second spell with the Gas. Barton at times used a 4-3-1-2 against Morecambe with Aaron Collins as the playmaker behind Ryan Loft and John Marquis. That setup could be tweaked this evening to get McCormick in the team and top scorer Collins closer to the opposition goal.

McCormick could come into the team as the number 10, playing behind a front two of Collins and Marquis. That would be somewhat harsh on Ryan Loft, who has three goals in his past three games, but in the world of five substitutes his physical style makes him a more impactful game-changer off the bench than Marquis.

Sylvester Jasper, Harry Anderson and Harvey Saunders are also in the game-changer category and could be aces up the sleeve to finish the match.

Harvey Greenslade could also be in the travelling party, while Rovers are waiting on Josh Coburn to join the group as he recovers from injury.

Rovers (4-3-1-2): Belshaw; Hoole, Kilgour, Thomas, Gordon; Coutts (c), Finley, Evans; McCormick; Collins, Marquis.

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