There's always someone worse off - why Ipswich have bigger problems than Portsmouth

Ipswich host Danny Cowley’s men in the knock-out stages of the competition on Tuesday, November 22 (7.45pm).

Yet both teams’ line-ups will be substantially impacted by unavailabilities amid congested treatment rooms.

The Blues, of course, are currently without Michael Jacobs, Tom Lowery, Joe Rafferty, Jayden Reid, Ronan Curtis and Louis Thompson, while Joe Morrell is away on World Cup duty.

Whether it’s the consequence of Pompey’s medical department, training pitches, signing players with injury history, tough training sessions or plain old bad luck, has been the subject of much debate.

However, other clubs are also suffering at present.

Kieran McKenna’s selection options are similarly being hampered, with promotion-hunting Ipswich missing eight players at this moment in time.

Incidentally, they disappointingly drew 1-1 at home to Cheltenham on Saturday, albeit retaining second place and remaining 10 points ahead of Pompey.

Dominic Ball (knee) is out for the season, while Lee Evans’ knee is in a brace with a return date pencilled in for the end of next month.

Arsenal loanee Tyreece John-Jules is nursing a damaged hamstring, with surgery potentially required, putting him out of action until the New Year.

Defender Greg Leigh (leg fracture) has been missing since September, Sone Aluko (knee) since August, and the absence of under-21 goalkeeper Nick Hayes (ankle) forced the signing of a replacement

Even deadline-day signing and ex-Pompey loanee Gassan Ahadme has been struck down, sustaining a foot fracture after three matches to sideline him since the end of September.

And Tractor Boy supporters will be hoping the sight of Janoi Donacien hobbling off with ‘tightness’ after 15 minutes against Cheltenham at the weekend will not prove too severe.

Encouragingly, Cameron Burgess and Panutche Camara have recently returned to action following injury, yet casualties remain.

Of course, Ipswich’s bulging squad size and the presence of an under-21 set-up ensures they possess the ability to cope with such absences, certainly better than Pompey.

Interestingly, McKenna’s men have won three of their last seven matches in all competitions, albeit while maintaining their lofty League One placing.

Still, the Fratton faithful’s focus is understandably fixed on their own club’s injury issues, particularly when the likes of Jacobs, Rafferty and Lowery have broken down after returning.

And ahead of Derby visiting Fratton Park on Friday night, the fifth-placed Blues have posted just one league victory in their last eight league fixtures.