Leeds United promotion rivals dealt huge injury blow ahead of Championship six-pointer

Ipswich Town boss Kieran McKenna has been unable to confirm whether Wes Burns will be able to play any part in the Championship run-in. The winger continues to struggle with a hamstring injury, picked up in the win over Sheffield Wednesday earlier this month, and had to withdraw from Rob Page's Wales squad because of it.

The Tractor Boys have been monitoring Burns closely and after sending him to see a specialist, they are confident that he won't be required to go under the knife. But with just eight games to go until the end of the regular Championship season, he could be in a race against time to prove his fitness.

Burns has been ruled out of Good Friday's trip to Blackburn Rovers and he isn't expected to feature in the automatic promotion six-pointer against Southampton on Easter Monday either. He'll be missed in both games, given his importance to McKenna's side, who currently sit just a point below Leeds United in the table, and the head coach admits his absence could be a lengthy one.

"He has seen the specialist now," McKenna said in the build-up to this evening's clash at Ewood Park. "As we suspected, it's certainly not a short-term injury to his hamstring, but no surgery required and he's doing okay.

“We'll have it rescanned in a week or so and we'll know a lot more than about how long the recovery's going to be. It's not impossible he plays again this season, but it's a long way from guaranteed either. It really is a case of wait and see."

Burns has made 32 league appearances for Ipswich this season, with five goals and three assists coming along the way to help the Suffolk outfit up to third in the Championship table. Ipswich will also be checking on the fitness of Cameron Burgess, Kieffer Moore and Jeremy Sarmiento ahead of their trip to Lancashire.