Says Alan Pardew:
"I don't think Bobby and Steve will be be involved because they still have a bit of fitness to get into their bodies - but they both came through the reserve game in the week and they both probably feature next week at some point.
"They will put the first team players under serious pressure to perform."
Alan feels that the new players are settling in quickly, and explains:
"The important thing is there is an environment to bed in well and there are good senior pros here setting the right example.
"I would like to think that anybody that comes in here gets a warm welcome and can settle in quickly - so far all the players have done that from the off and done reasonably well, which is pleasing.
"I certainly got a good welcome here when I arrived and that makes it easier, but you still need a strong character - and the guys we have brought in have been selected for that.
"You have to remember that we are not pulling players in from Moldova and Argentina, say, and that helps.
"They are mainly British-based players who are accustomed to this division and know what it is about.
"I think Tomas has got his head round that now and has probably been our best player this year."
Alan is aware that Teddy Sheringham has been involved nearly non-stop this season and adds:
"It does concern me because I have to make sure we get a full season's worth out of him; he has been terrific so far but I always have one eye on that."
Alan has set Matthew Etherington the task of becoming Hammer Of The Year twice running - even though, by the player's own admission, he is getting a lot of attention from defenders this year.
"I think the important thing for Mattie is that he has a great goal in front of him, the chance to be player of the year twice running - it is only a special selection of players that have managed to do that.
"He is going to have to do it while being a marked man and it is tough for him; he will have to mix his game up and add aspects to his game that weren't there last year.
"At the moment he is doing that and, we are very pleased with him, and long may it continue; he is getting an eye for goal and he will always get assists because of the crosses he puts in.
"We think very highly of him and he is very important to us but if teams look to contain him that leaves areas in other places that we can exploit.
"That is down to us and doing the coaching to capitalise on that."
Looking at the Ipswich game, he adds:
"It is a good game for the fans because both of us play a flowing sort of game and want to win it; we don't try to restrict each other's play and that makes for a good contest.
"I like Joe's philosophy - they give you problems with their movement and that always makes for a good match.
"We had two cracking games with Ipswich in the playoffs and they were both very close.
"We are hoping we can get the same sort of magical atmosphere we had for the home playoff game and that will help us.
"The occasion made it special but sometimes you don't perform on the big occasion - as we found out in the final.
"Sometimes you have to accept that and not worry too much about it, by which I mean it won't be the end of the world if we get beaten.
"But this is a good team and we feel we have a good chance to do what we want to do.
"I think they have improved from last year and I think we have; there will be a period of feeling each other out from the start and then hopefully we would like to think we could start to dominate.
"We are at home and the emphasis is on us to take the game to them but always with one eye on the way they play because they are suited to playing away from home - and we have to be aware of that.
"I honestly felt Ipswich were going to be one of the strong contenders for automatic promotion and nothing I have seen has deterred me from that view; they have a nice balance of experience and youth especially in Westlake, Bowditch, and Bent - three of the best players in the division.
"Guarded by our 'own' Kevin Horlock and Jim Magilton they will prove tough opposition.
"It is over 46 games, not just tomorrow, but I would still like to think we can get a victory.
"We have great belief in ourselves and if we didn't have that our fans certainly wouldn't - that is important."
Alan warns, however, that Ipswich will be fired up to win having lost 2-0 in the playoff semi-final second leg last season - and that his players must stand up to that motivation from their opponents.
"We have already had a taste of the history of last year when Wigan came and we didn't cope with it," he says candidly.
"This will be no different and any wounded animal is more dangerous so we have to be on our guard - the Wigan game was a wake-up call for us."
Alan is concerned that, the Ipswich game hopefully excepted, the game is becoming less entertaining as the pressure increases.
"This trait of what is seeping into our division, but football in general to be honest, about playing deep and getting bodies behind the ball - and with players reaching new levels of physical heights - makes the opposition very difficult to break down, and it is a worry because it doesn't make for a good spectacle.
"We are finding that up and down the country at this level - but against Ipswich that won't be the case and I am pleased about that."
Alan is feeling very positive now he has changed the personnel around to his satisfaction and he concludes:
"We haven't got transfer requests hanging over our heads and we haven't got big name players running out of contracts.
"All the squad here are nicely settled, much more so than when I arrived, and I am under no pressure to sell.
"We are looking forward to pulling that spirit together and there is a nice work ethic at the training ground, a nice environment, and if players want to improve then the place is set up for that.
"Ultimately it is about winning on a Saturday - and at the moment we are doing that.
"I am pleased we have won five out of eight and I want to carry on with that road show."
SQUAD: Bywater, Walker, Powell, Brevett, Repka, Davenport, Mackay, Chadwick, Reo-Coker, Rebrov, Fletcher, Cohen, Lomas, Mullins, Etherington, Nowland, Harewood, Sheringham, Zamora.