Ipswich boss Kieran McKenna admits club is in 'challenging spot'
Town have only a slim - and highly unlikely chance of staying up
Ipswich boss Kieran McKenna admits his depleted side are "in a challenging spot" as they prepare to head to Newcastle, where relegation from the Premier League could be confirmed.
Town have only a slim - and highly improbable - mathematical chance of staying up, already 15 points adrift of West Ham with just five matches left to play and a far inferior goal difference.
Defeat at St James' Park on Saturday would send Ipswich back to the Sky Bet Championship - as would West Ham picking up a draw at Brighton to guarantee their own safety.
McKenna has been grappling with a growing injury list, which includes the likes of midfielder Kalvin Phillips, Nathan Broadhead, Sammie Szmodics and now defender Conor Townsend, who is out with a hamstring problem.
Leif Davis is also unavailable for the next three matches after the left-back was shown a straight red card for his late tackle on Bukayo Saka during last weekend's 4-0 home defeat by Arsenal.
Striker Liam Delap - linked with a summer move away from Portman Road - has been managing a rib injury, so was only used as a late substitute in the past two matches and will again be a late call.
Whatever side he is able to send out against Newcastle, McKenna knows they will face another difficult test.
"We are in a challenging spot in terms of availability," McKenna said at a press conference.
"I am not going to go through every single one because I will probably be naming the fit players that we have left to Newcastle, but we are in a really difficult spot in terms of availability.
"We are working really hard to get a team and a squad together that can go there and be as competitive as we can be.
"Where the squad is at the moment, there will be young players involved from the academy at the weekend and possibly in the next few weeks, and that is good experience for them."
McKenna added: "On Liam, (there is) a decision to be made. He is better again this week, so we will see what is appropriate."
Despite their predicament, McKenna feels everyone remains "focused on the task at hand".
The Town boss said: "You just have to look at the scale of the games - Chelsea away, Arsenal home and now a trip to Newcastle.
"It is not hard to get the group focused and it is a small group at the moment, so they will all be needed."