Ipswich Town

Marc Webber
Final Score reporter

Image source, Getty Images

In the next month, Ipswich Town fans will have to do almost double the miles The Proclaimers did to see their team play.

No game in the next 27 days at Portman Road means supporters having to travel a total of 1,736 miles to see their next five encounters.

And every one of those games has the potential to be a banana skin just waiting to trip up Ipswich's push for promotion and FA Cup success.

Portsmouth are becoming the form team in the relegation fight; Derby and Wrexham are also showing form at the other end of the table.

Even Watford could be perked up by a new manager bounce by the time they meet Ipswich, after Javi Gracia's resignation Sunday.

And those fans who believe in stats will not be cheered by the fact Ipswich are 14th in the table of away performances with four wins, four draws and five defeats. They are second in the league table of home-only games.

The good news is only two of their four forthcoming hosts boast decent home form. That's Watford at fifth place and Wrexham at 11th.

Portsmouth are 14th and Derby would be flirting with relegation if only their games at Pride Park counted.

They are a woeful 20th in the home-only league table.

Ipswich Town boss Kieran McKenna spoke to BBC Radio Suffolk after their 1-1 draw against Preston North End.

"It was a tough challenge. They came today with a gameplan, they defended really deep, put an extra body in midfield which they don't usually do and they made it really hard for us to break them down," he said.

"We did some good things, we came close a few times but we didn't quite do enough or execute enough. We need to keep working on it.

"We didn't quite manage to counter enough throughout the game. Daniel Jebbison was a big threat with his running and then they scored their goal from a set play which was a bit lucky as well to be honest in terms of how it fell but we didn't defend it well enough.

"After that I thought the reaction from the team and the stadium was really good."

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Ipswich Town boss Kieran McKenna has urged Kasey McAteer to follow the example of team-mate Wes Burns as he looks establish himself at Portman Road.

McAteer joined Town from Leicester City for £12m last summer, but has only started eight of his 16 league appearances - and has yet to score his first goal.

Wales international Burns has been preferred on the right flank by McKenna in the past two games - but the manager has no doubt McAteer will come good in time.

"He's making some really good strides, both behind the scenes, and with the minutes that he's had on the pitch of late," McKenna said.

"He's 24, but football-wise he's really young. He's a late developer who started playing first-team football late. He's absolutely rapid, is good with both feet, can go forwards and backwards, and we think he's got potential to keep improving.

"He didn't quite have the rhythm at the start of the season, which can happen to the best players in the world transferring to the best clubs in the world, but he's stuck at it, we're seeing growth in training.

"It's difficult because Wes has come back into the group [after injury] and has the benefit of promotions here, goals here, and the confidence of the crowd and everyone behind him."

McKenna added: "Look at where Wes was at 24. I think he was maybe playing right-back for Fleetwood for the next three or four years.

"Kasey's got some of the same qualities but he's still a bit younger in terms of learning the game. We're happy with how he's progressing and know he's ready to contribute as and when the team needs him."

Image source, Getty Images

Sheffield United manager Chris Wilder has dismissed accusations that the Blades try to "bully" opponents.

Ipswich captain Dara O'Shea told the East Anglian Daily Times his side needed to do better against "teams like that, teams who want to come and bully us", external after Saturday's 3-1 defeat by the Blades.

Wilder has taken exception to the comments, saying they show a lack of respect for his side.

"The perception of that game on Saturday is that we wanted it to be a rough and tumble game, we wanted it to be a spiky game, we wanted it to be a bitty game, we wanted it not to be a game of football - absolute nonsense," Wilder told BBC Radio Sheffield.

"I heard their captain come out and say 'Oh it's a direct game and we can't get sucked into that type of game' and I just thought it was absolute nonsense and a lack of respect really for us, if I'm honest, because the name of the game is to run around, win tackles, win headers, win races and play - and we did.

"They've got a lot of good players, Ipswich - really good players - and in my opinion they're going to go up but we asked the question and we'll get asked the question this weekend."

The Blades, 17th in the Championship, travel to fifth-placed Millwall on Saturday.

Ipswich Town and Preston North End are both hoping to return to winning ways when they meet at Portman Road.

The Suffolk side's 3-1 defeat by Sheffield United last weekend means they are now five points outside the automatic promotion places - albeit with a game in hand on the top two - while Preston have slipped to ninth after a three-match losing streak.

• Ipswich have lost their past two Championship games against Preston (3-2 in February 2024 and 1-0 in August 2025), only once previously losing three in a row against them in the second tier: a run of four between August 2005 and March 2007.

• Preston will be aiming to complete a league double over Ipswich for the first time since 2008-09, when they beat them home (3-2) and away (2-1) under Alan Irvine.

• Ipswich were beaten by Sheffield United last time out (3-1 at Bramall Lane), but have only lost consecutive Championship matches under Kieran McKenna once previously (2-1 v Middlesbrough and 3-0 v Charlton in October 2025).

• Preston have lost their past three Championship games without scoring a single goal, last having a longer streak in a single campaign in April-May 2024 (five losses, zero goals).

• Ipswich's Marcelino Nunez has assisted seven goals in the Championship this season – since 2018-19, only one midfielder has registered more in a single second-tier campaign for the club (eight by Conor Chaplin in 2023-24).

Ipswich Town have expressed an interest in signing Leeds United striker Joel Piroe but it is thought the 26-year-old, who is also wanted by FC Twente, Paris FC and Celtic, is keen to stay at Elland Road and fight for his place. (Sky Sports), external

Ipswich are also weighing up a move to bring in striker Sam Surridge, 27, from MLS side Nashville SC. (The Telegraph), external

For more transfer news and rumours, read Thursday's full gossip column here.

Derby County are keen on a deal for Ipswich Town and Republic of Ireland forward Sammie Szmodics, 30, who has struggled for game time at Portman Road this season. (Mike McGrath, Telegraph), external

Want more transfer news from the EFL? Take a look at Wednesday's gossip column here.

Image source, Getty Images

Ipswich Town will not allow the belief to be "sucked out of them" after their impressive run of form was ended by a 3-1 defeat at Sheffield United, according to captain Dara O'Shea.

Town had taken 16 points from their six previous Championship games, and won seven of the past 10, prior to their visit to Bramall Lane.

"It's easy to be a good team when things are going well - when things aren't going well that's when we need to buckle up and take a bit of ownership ourselves," skipper O'Shea told BBC Radio Suffolk.

"There's still massive confidence in the group and we don't want to let other people suck that out of us. We know we're doing well and we've just got to keep doing more of that.

"Away games are always going to be harder. We love playing at Portman Road, it's a great feeling having our fans there. When you come to stadiums like this [Bramall Lane] that have so much character, so much noise, we've got to silence the crowd early and control it like we do at home."

Ipswich are third in the table, five points off the automatic promotion places, and will be at home to Preston North End on Saturday.

"It's easy for teams to play against us in a way because they're not maybe expected to get a result and that's the pressure we've got to take on," added centre-back O'Shea.

"Teams are going to come and disrupt us, they're going to make it difficult, it's not going to be easy, it's going to be unpredictable at times.

"You watch (videos of) games throughout the week of the team you've got to play against and then come the weekend they play in a totally different way because they're playing against Ipswich. That's the nature of the league."

Ipswich Town boss Kieran McKenna spoke to BBC Radio Suffolk after his side's 3-1 defeat at Sheffield United.

"I think we had some big moments up until the first goal. They had one or two but we had two or three really where we should go 1-0 up," he said.

"We know that completely changes the complexion of the day and then we've gifted them the first goal really. It's a really, really bad one from us.

"It comes from our set-piece after we've just had a big chance to go one up.

"That was a big blow and then we didn't find enough to get to half-time.

"Second half we had a go, we get a goal back and I really fancy us from there. Really frustrated of course, from a long ball we don't deal with, we go to 3-1.

"And from there it was just too much to come back into. A disappointing day."

Image source, EFL

A new initiative highlighting the work of football club charities has been launched by the English Football League (EFL).

'Scan to Smile' will be rolled out in stadiums across the EFL from Friday until the end of January, with supporters invited to scan QR codes on posters displayed around grounds.

Each scan will unlock a short, uplifting story from a person whose life has been positively impacted by the support of their local club charity.

The subjects tackled include mental health support, combating loneliness, improving physical wellbeing, employability and confidence.

The EFL said it hoped the initiative would use "the reach and influence of football to offer fans a moment of positivity on matchday".

Trevor Birch, chief executive at the EFL, said: "Behind every club are people whose lives have been positively changed through the work and dedication of their local EFL club charity.

"This initiative gives supporters the chance to see that impact first-hand and reminds us that football truly is a force for good."

Ipswich Town will be aiming for fifth successive win when they make the trip to Sheffield United on Saturday (15:00 GMT).

The Tractor Boys are on a run of six league games undefeated, briefly occupying the automatic promotion spots after a win over Bristol City on Tuesday before Middlesbrough knocked them down to third with their win over Stoke the next day.

Should Boro fail to beat Preston North End in the early afternoon fixture, Ipswich will enter Bramall Lane with the opportunity to retake second spot.

But the Blades have given their home fans much to cheer about on home soil lately and would love to earn some redemption for their hefty defeat at Portman Road in earlier in the season.

• Sheffield United lost 5-0 in the reverse fixture against Ipswich Town this season (September 2025); their heaviest ever league defeat against the Tractor Boys.

• Ipswich Town will be looking to achieve a league double over Sheffield United for the first time since the 2010-11 campaign, also in the second tier.

• Sheffield United are unbeaten across their last six home league games (W4 D2), keeping four clean sheets in that time. It's as many shutouts as the Blades managed across their prior 19 matches at Bramall Lane combined.

• Ipswich have won their last four league games, with three of those coming in 2026. Only twice have they won their first four league games in a calendar year, doing so in 1956 and 1960.

• Patrick Bamford has scored three goals in five home league appearances for Sheffield United. Despite joining the club in November, he's already their joint-top scorer at home in the Championship this season (also 3 for Callum O'Hare).

Image source, Shutterstock

Ipswich Town will be without Jaden Philogene and Marcelino Nunez for Saturday's game against Sheffield United at Bramall Lane.

Philogene, who has scored nine Championship goals this season, went off in the first half of their 3-0 home win against Blackburn Rovers and sat out the midweek victory over Bristol City which put them second in the table for 24 hours.

Chile international Nunez, who has made 23 appearances since arriving from Norwich City, was substituted in the 73rd minute of that game.

"Neither will be available for the weekend. Marcelino had some scans yesterday and we are still waiting for the full report on his ankle," boss Kieran McKenna told BBC Radio Suffolk.

"Jaden's [knee] is not super serious, but no chance for this weekend. But the next block of games after that, we'll have to wait and see.

"We had one little issue [with another player] in training today and we're going to have to make an assessment in the next 24 hours. Generally, we're in a pretty good position but it's always frustrating when you get a few injuries in the same area of the pitch."

Ipswich will be looking for their fifth league win in a row at Bramall Lane, having dropped back down to third place after Middlesbrough's win at Stoke City on Wednesday.

Image source, Getty Images

Ipswich Town have now won six home league games in a row after the 2-0 victory over Bristol City on Tuesday night - and striker Ivan Azon has praised fans for playing their part.

The Tractor Boys moved into second thanks to Jack Clarke's double, putting pressure on third-placed Middlesbrough who travel to Stoke on Wednesday evening.

Kieran McKenna's side have lost just once at Portman Road in the Championship this season (W10 D4) and are unbeaten in nine games on home soil since the 3-0 defeat to Charlton on 21 October (W7 D2), conceding just three goals in that time.

Only league leaders Coventry City (35) have picked up more points at home than Ipswich (34) this season.

"Really nice to win at home," Azon told BBC Radio Suffolk.

"Another win. Thanks to all the fans that come on a Tuesday - 25,000, it's crazy to have everybody here and really thankful.

"Sometimes you don't have the best game and to feel them [fans] close to you is really nice. I've always said I feel them really close and they support us really nicely.

"I think we feel really well at home. Also we need to do it away but it's really nice to have all the fans and I think we feel really comfortable."

The 23-year-old, who is on loan from Serie A side Como, believes Ipswich are "getting better" and "improving as a team".

"I think the results show that," he added. "I think we are trying to achieve the goal [of promotion]. We want to keep going, keep winning and keep gaining points to still be at the top of the table."

Listen to Ivan Azon's full interview following the win over Bristol City on BBC Sounds.