If the former Cardiff City man is unavailable, Shane Supple will make his first start of the season. Academy second year Andy Plummer could be called upon to join-up with the squad for bench duties.
The Town defence is unlikely to be changed with Jim Magilton’s options limited by injury and suspension. Dan Harding will continue on the left, David Wright on the right with Jason De Vos and Alex Bruce in the centre.
Fabian Wilnis misses the second match of his three-game suspension for his sending off at Plymouth, while Richard Naylor is still out of action after surgery on a toe injury and Ian Miller has extended his loan at Darlington. In their absence, Spanish full-back Sito is recalled to the squad for the first time this season.
Magilton’s midfield alternatives have been reduced by George O’Callaghan’s loan to Brighton, although the Irishman was an unlikely starter against the Hornets.
If the Blues stick with the 4-4-2 they utilised last week, Owen Garvan and Tommy Miller will start with Sylvain Legwinski likely to be involved from the bench. Legwinski could come into the starting line-up if Town switch to the 4-3-3/4-5-1 employed at Plymouth a fortnight ago.
Jon Walters will continue in his midfield role after scoring the winner in the Sky game against Crystal Palace last week. Gary Roberts sent in the cross from which Walters headed in that goal and despite some under par performances this season will probably keep his place on the left, although he is likely to be the man to drop out if Jim Magilton decides on a change of formation.
Jaime Peters is likely to be used as a substitute in the second half with Danny Haynes starting his three-match ban for his recent red card in the reserves game against Brighton. Welsh international Gavin Williams is sidelined until December after damaging ankle ligaments during the pre-season game with Panathinaikos.
Pablo Couñago and Alan Lee will continue their promising partnership up front with Billy Clarke likely to be used from the bench at some stage. Dean Bowditch was back in action in the reserves friendly with Bristol Rovers in midweek, but is unlikely to be involved with the first team for a few weeks yet.
Watford boss Aidy Boothroyd will have to decide whether to give Nathan Ellington, who has a good goalscoring record against the Blues, his debut after the striker’s £3.25 million move from West Brom earlier in the week.
Boothroyd will be without midfielder Al Bangura, who broke his elbow during the Hornets’ 2-0 Carling Cup defeat at Southend on Tuesday.
The last game between the sides was the FA Cup fifth round tie at Vicarage Road in February which the home side won 1-0 via a late Damien Francis goal. Former Canary Francis will not be involved on Saturday due to a cruciate ligament injury.
Midfielder Gareth Williams has a similar problem to Francis and is also out of action long-term, while striker Moses Ashikodi is still sidelined after breaking his leg at the end of last season.
Town have generally had the better of Watford over the years, the Blues winning 21 games between the two sides, the Hornets 15 with 14 matches ending in draws. The Hornets, currently sitting in fifth in the table, have started their league season with two wins and last week’s 4-1 defeat to Leicester.
Despite the FA Cup defeat, the Blues will hope to emulate their February performance when they were on top for the most part, despite being reduced to 10 men by referee Steve Bennett. George O’Callaghan’s first half red card was subsequently overturned by an FA video panel.
Fans travelling by train to Watford are warned that there is engineering work between Ipswich and Liverpool Street and in London throughout the weekend.
Saturday’s referee is Mike Jones from Chester, who has shown 10 yellow and no red cards in five games so far this season. Jones’s most recent Town match was the 1-1 draw which sent Leeds United down to League One at the end of last season.
Squad: Alexander, Bruce, Casement, Clarke, Couñago, De Vos, Garvan, Harding, Lee, Legwinski, T Miller, Peters, Roberts, Supple, Sito, Walters, Wright.
