IPSWICH boss George Burley insisted today that there are signs his team is about to hit top form again.The Blues chief said: "We haven't got to our best form this season but there are encouraging signs.

By Dave Allard

IPSWICH boss George Burley insisted today that there are signs his team is about to hit top form again.

The Blues chief said: "We haven't got to our best form this season but there are encouraging signs. I have been seeing things in training that suggest it may be coming back."

He hopes that a good win over Torpedo Moscow tonight can be "a springboard for a good run."

Burley, who played for many years with Town in Europe, is so proud to be leading them back after a lapse of 19 years.

He said: "It was a tremendous achievement for our club to qualify. Torpedo may have said that we have no stars. Although we are very much a team, we have many experienced internationals.

"We are on a great high by being in Europe and everyone is looking at us. Playing in the Premiership gives us confidence.

"We are playing against many of the best teams in the world. Tonight we want to show Torpedo Moscow that the English League is very strong."

Torpedo coach Vitaly Shevchenko has sympathy with the fact that Town have to play Manchester United at Old Trafford on Saturday – less than 43 hours after the UEFA Cup tie kicks off.

He said: "Ipswich have a very tight schedule. They have just a day's rest before the United game. I think it is impossible to play properly with just a day's rest."

Torpedo scouts watched the Town game at Leicester and the 1-1 home draw with Blackburn last weekend.

"Ipswich are a very good team," said Shevchenko. "We know we face a very, very difficult game.

"I don't have much experience of watching English football. But my impression is that the English League is stronger than our league."

Town have striker Alun Armstrong out of tonight's game due to the concussion sustained against Blackburn.

New Spanish striker Pablo Counago could start his first game up front alongside Marcus Stewart.

The squads

IPSWICH: Sereni; Makin, Hreidarsson, Bramble, McGreal, Reuser, Holland, Stewart, Counago, George, Wright, Naylor, Wilnis, Magilton, Clapham, Venus, Miller, Gaardsoe, Bent, Branagan, Marshall.

TORPEDO: Berezovsky, Malai, Daev, Lukhvich, Gashkin, Shirko, Semshov, Leonchenko, Vyazmikin, Kormyltsev, Zyryranov, Jolovic, Sadjaia, Lakic, Vorobiev, Kamoltsev, Adzhindzhal, Familtsev, Lahun.

Referee: Orhan Erdemir (Turkey).