Boss Paul Lambert makes seven changes to his side as the Blues face Premier League Fulham in the second round of the Carabao Cup at Portman Road with striker Oli Hawkins among those coming into the team for his full Town debut, while Flynn Downes is on the bench for the first time this season.

David Cornell is in goal with Tomas Holy on the bench, while Janoi Donacien and Myles Kenlock are the full-backs with Stephen Ward dropping out of the 18 and Luke Chambers on the bench. At the heart of the defence, Toto Nsiala skippers alongside James Wilson.

In midfield, Emyr Huws joins Andre Dozzell and Jon Nolan with Teddy Bishop among the subs, as is Crystal Palace target Downes.

Armando Dobra and Gwion Edwards are the wide men in the front three with Freddie Sears and Alan Judge on the bench. Hawkins is the central striker with Aaron Drinan among those currently suffering with knocks having hurt his thigh during Sunday's 2-0 victory over Wigan Athletic. James Norwood is also among the subs.

Fulham boss Scott Parker makes nine changes from the team which lost 3-0 at home to Arsenal at the weekend with keeper Alphonse Areola, Kenny Tete, Mario Lemina and Antonee Robinson all making their debuts.

The winners will face Sheffield Wednesday at home in the third round next Tuesday or Wednesday.

Town: Cornell, Donacien, Nsiala (c), Wilson, Kenlock, Nolan, Dozzell, Huws, Dobra, Hawkins, Edwards. Subs: Holy, Chambers, Norwood, Bishop, Judge, Sears, Downes.

Fulham: Areola, Tete, Odoi, Kebano, Mitrovic (c), Knockaert, De Cordova-Reid, Lemina, Le Merchand, Anguissa, Robinson. Subs: Fabri, Hector, Bryan, Reed, Cairney, Francois, Cavaleiro. Referee: Dean Whitestone (Northamptonshire).

Photo: Matchday Images

gosblue added 18:27 - Sep 16 Strength in depth or a weakened side. Can't wait to find out COYB
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ShropshireBluenago09 added 18:43 - Sep 16 Good to see Dobra starting. He should be verging on 1st team. Be very surprised if we get anything out of this game. Very strong Fulham team.
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Sparky85 added 18:47 - Sep 16 Captain Nsiala against Captain Mitrovic! Come on Toto!!!
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timkatieadamitfc added 18:52 - Sep 16 Yes Shropshireblue I agree, very strong Fulham team, still we're putting a decent team out though and what looks like a good bench too so COYB
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ArnieM added 19:00 - Sep 16 COYBs 👍
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Bluearmy_81 added 19:04 - Sep 16 Truly awful back 4, probably the worst in any town fans memory #couldbeworsecouldbebury
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ringwoodblue added 19:07 - Sep 16 Looking at the respective team sheets, we are going to be murdered tonight but cup games often throw up surprises. Our back four looks very weak and I can't see where our goals are coming from. Predict 0-4.
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Linkboy13 added 19:20 - Sep 16 Captain Nsiala just goes to prove anything can happen in football. Big test for Hawkins if he can put in a good performance even in defeat it will be a bonus, especially his hold up play.
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Cakeman added 20:12 - Sep 16 What is the point in making so many changes to Saturday's team? Win or lose it does nothing by continually doing this season upon season. No chance of continuity whatsoever. Very poor decision by the management. Obviously haven't learnt from last season.
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blues1 added 20:30 - Sep 16 Cake man. For gods sake, it's a cup game that wed prob lose, whatever team we put out, and we have players with knocks from Sunday. Youd be the 1st to moan if he played them and they were to miss several lge games bcse he risked them. If you look at the changes made, they look sensible. Ward unlikely to play 3 games in 7 days. Needed some1 a bit stronger in the midfield, so either bishop or dozzell was obvious choice to make way, with huws coming in. Drinan injured, so hawkins up front. Sears did very little really on sunday, si gives dobra the chance. And Edward's played well when he came on so again makes sense to give him a start. It's the league games where we need to keep to as much the same team each week. Not cup games.

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