Ipswich Town

Image source, Getty Images

Ipswich Town winger Jaden Philogene was content to let his boots do the talking as his latest spectacular goal kept them firmly in the Championship play-off picture.

Philogene curled the ball perfectly into the far corner after it was played into his path by Marcelino Nunez, his seventh goal of the campaign, and that was enough to secure a 1-0 home win over Stoke City.

"It's probably my third or second best (of the season)," he told BBC Radio Suffolk.

"We've worked on it in training, he gave me the one two and when it left my foot I didn't know it was going in but I knew it was going to be a good shot."

Philogene's tally in 2025-26 also includes a hat-trick against Sheffield United and a 30-yard strike in the East Anglia derby against Norwich City.

Asked about his opinion of Chile international Nunez, who joined Town from arch-rivals Norwich in the summer, Philogene simply replied: "What a player - he's always smiling and making me smile."

And on his personal goals tally so far, he said: "It's ok, I'd like a few more. I've got my own goals (target), I wouldn't say it, but double figures, of course."

Ipswich are away to Leicester City, who were relegated from the Premier League alongside them in May, on Saturday, before hosting bottom club Sheffield Wednesday in their final game before Christmas.

"It's a big game against a tough opponent (at Leicester). We've just got to keep playing our game, keep playing well and we'll see the result on Saturday," Philogene added.

Ipswich boss Kieran McKenna spoke to BBC Radio Suffolk after Wednesday's 1-0 win against Stoke in the Championship:

"It was a brilliant goal [from Jaden Philogene] and one to really enjoy. It's similar to a few we've scored down here over the years in terms of build-up on the right side, then switch to the left side and then of course brilliant quality from Jaden in a combination with [Marcelino Nunez] and a brilliant strike. It was a great way to start the game.

"You have to give Stoke credit. In the first half they played really well, they went 1-0 down and they were throwing the kitchen sink at it in terms of pressing us a lot.

"There was a lot of space for us and we just couldn't get the final pass. We missed a big chance to go 2-0 up that might have knocked the stuffing out of them, but we didn't and they kept pushing and pushing.

"It was good to get to half-time. We knew we had to make some more passes and not go for the goal so quickly, even though there was space there. The second-half performance was really good and was only missing the last bit of execution to open up the margin on the scoreline."

Image source, Getty Images

Ipswich boss Kieran McKenna has praised Stoke City manager Mark Robins for his longevity in the game but isn't in a rush to emulate it.

The Tractor Boys welcome the Potters to Portman Road on Wednesday night and McKenna is expecting a tough game despite Stoke's 4-0 loss at Sheffield United on Saturday.

"I think they've been playing really well," McKenna told BBC Radio Suffolk.

"I've been impressed. One of the best footballing sides in the division for sure.

"I think they'd probably say themselves, Saturday was a one-off in terms of a game really getting away from them. Other than that, they've been tight in every game.

"We're expecting a really good team, a really good footballing test. It should make for a good game, so we're looking forward to it."

McKenna said Robins is doing "a really good job" at Stoke, with both sides fighting for promotion ahead of this fixture.

"Fair play, brilliant career as a manager after a good career as a player as well, big credit to him," McKenna said.

"They [Stoke] have had quite a few years in the division where they've not quite been able to get it going.

"This has been maybe the best they've done for quite a while and it's no surprise he's had a big input.

"He's a very good manager but that level of longevity is to be respected but not repeated in my case."

Listen to Kieran McKenna's full pre-match press conference on BBC Sounds.

Image source, Getty Images

The FA Cup third round draw was made on Monday evening, with all 24 Championship clubs entering at this stage of the competition.

Ties will take place between Thursday, 8 January and Monday, 12 January.

These are the ties involving Championship clubs:

• Cambridge United v Birmingham City

• Hull City v Blackburn Rovers

• Bristol City v Watford

• Charlton Athletic v Chelsea

• Stoke City v Coventry

• Derby County v Leeds United

• Ipswich Town v Blackpool

• Cheltenham Town v Leicester City

• Fulham v Middlesbrough

• Burnley v Millwall

• Norwich City v Walsall

• MK Dons v Oxford United

• Portsmouth v Arsenal

• Preston North End v Wigan Athletic

• West Ham United v Queens Park Rangers

• Sheffield United v Mansfield Town

• Sheffield Wednesday v Brentford

• Doncaster Rovers v Southampton

• Swansea City v West Bromwich Albion

• Wrexham v Nottingham Forest

You can see the full draw here.

Ipswich and Stoke will both look to strengthen their bid for promotion when they meet in the Championship at Portman Road on Wednesday night (19:45 GMT).

The Tractor Boys bounced back from two games without a win with an impressive 3-0 victory over leaders Coventry on Saturday.

The Potters have stuttered in recent weeks, winning just one of their past five games (L4) including a heavy 4-0 loss at Sheffield United last time out.

• Ipswich have won just one of their past 10 league games against Stoke (D5 L4), though it did come in their most recent home meeting with the Potters in August 2023 (2-0).

• Stoke failed to score in either league meeting with Ipswich when they last faced in 2023-24, only once before going three without a goal against the Tractor Boys (between 1986 and 1987).

• Ipswich won nine of their 11 midweek (Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday) home league games between 2022-23 and 2023-24 (D2), but since the start of last season have lost three of their four at Portman Road (D1).

• Stoke have won their past two midweek (Tues, Weds, Thurs) Championship games, last having a longer winning run between November 2022 and February 2023 (4).

• Ipswich's Jack Clarke has been involved in three goals in his past four league appearances against Stoke, scoring one and assisting two.

Marc Webber
BBC Final Score

Image source, Shutterstock

Whilst Sindre Walle Egeli, George Hirst and Ivan Azon may have had their name in lights in the 3-0 Coventry win, the unsung hero was keeper Christian Walton.

The second-choice stopper made three crucial saves during the game. The most important ones in quick succession 28 minutes in, pushing a Josh Eccles shot onto the post and then being alert to the quick second phase to paw over a goal-bound opportunity from Ephron Mason-Clark.

Saturday's heroics were the fourth time in 10 games that Walton has stopped opposing teams from scoring. That puts him joint first in the Championship clean sheet percentage table with Millwall's Max Crocombe.

Admittedly, both have only played 10 games this season, as opposed to regulars like Coventry's Carl Rushworth, on a 37% clean-sheet ratio.

But Walton's clean-sheet record gets extra kudos when you see the player he is standing-in for, Alex Palmer, who has only kept one clean sheet in the same number of games as Walton before he was injured.

Walton has always been the bridesmaid and never the bride at Ipswich.

Question is, has he done enough to keep the Number One spot when Palmer returns from injury?

Palmer is back in training after his calf injury, so it will only be a matter of days or a couple of weeks before he is back in contention.

When it is time for that decision to be made, could renowned squad rotator Kieran McKenna change back to Palmer, or do the stats suggest Walton deserves to hold his place as first-choice keeper?

Ipswich Town manager Kieran McKenna has called on his team for greater consistency after the 3-0 victory over Championship leaders Coventry.

The Tractor Boys are fourth after handing Frank Lampard's side just their second defeat this term, but have yet to win more than two games in a row this season.

"We showed quality with the ball and composure in the second half and belief to play through the pressure," he told BBC Radio Suffolk.

"We defended well and counter-attacked well and I thought we were good value for it.

"We know where we're at. We're developing as a team, but there's still inconsistencies there that we're working through.

"But we know when teams give us space, whenever we have the confidence we know we can play really, really well and I also know that we can defend really well.

"We know we're capable of performances like that, but we also know it's a brutal, relentless 46-game league and it's about consistency and how you go after a good day and after a bad day, the strength of your mentality, it tests all those things."

Image source, Shutterstock

Ipswich Town boss Kieran McKenna hopes a few days at home following three games in a week on the road will enable his team to be at their best against Championship leaders Coventry City.

Town won at Hull, but then lost to Oxford United and drew with Blackburn, leaving them seventh in the table, but 15 points adrift of the Sky Blues.

"It's going to be a big challenge and we're going to be tested," McKenna told BBC Radio Suffolk.

"We back ourselves in every situation and against every opponent, but it's not going to be easy so we're going to need the crowd and create a proper Portman Road atmosphere to give ourselves the best chance to win the game.

"We've left some points out there across the games so far and we want to try and catch up those points as quickly as we can.

"Tomorrow we get a test against the best team in the division across the first 18 games, and a really strong team in top form, so that's a great challenge that gives a chance to take a big step forward and give ourselves a big boost."

He added: "In general, this season, there's been three games where we haven't had better chances than the opposition - there was Birmingham on the first night, Middlesbrough away and the other night (against Blackburn).

"We're creating chances and not giving too much away in general. Of course we want to be better, of course we've had a few frustrating games where it's been hard to break down stubborn opponents, but the other night was the first time the game really got on top of us."

Forward Sammie Szmodics will be available for selection after recovering well from a knee operation.

He last played in a 1-0 home win over West Bromwich Albion on 25 October.

Ipswich Town will need to defeat a formidable Coventry City on Saturday (15:00 GMT) if they are to regain a place inside the top six.

The Tractor Boys are currently just one point outside the play-off places but now have the unenviable task of welcoming the league leaders, who are 10 points ahead of the pack.

With Ipswich the joint-second highest scorers in the league (30) and the Sky Blues making history with their scoring prowess (50), this one could be electric should it live up to its billing.

• Ipswich have won four of their last six league games against Coventry (D1 L1), doing the double over the Sky Blues when they last faced in 2023-24.

• Coventry have won two of their last four away league games against Ipswich (L2), more than they had in their previous 27 visits to Portman Road (D8 L18).

• Ipswich have lost just one of their nine home league games this season (W4 D4), going down 3-0 against Charlton Athletic in October.

• Since Frank Lampard's first game in charge on 30th November 2024, Coventry have scored more league goals than any other side in England's top four tiers (92), while only Birmingham (32) have won more games than the Sky Blues (29).

• Coventry's 3-1 win over Charlton last time out saw them reach 50 goals for the season in 18 games, the fastest a second tier side has scored 50+ in a campaign since Sheffield Wednesday in 1958-59 (16).

Image source, Shutterstock

Ipswich Town forward Sindre Walle Egeli insisted he had not been "stressed" about scoring his first goal for the club after finally breaking his duck in Tuesday's 1-1 draw at Blackburn Rovers.

The 19-year-old's calm left-foot finish in added time at the end of the game salvaged a point for Kieran McKenna's side after it looked like they were about to suffer a second consecutive defeat.

"Those are the kind of moments you work towards as a footballer," Egeli told BBC Radio Suffolk. "I've probably been the guy who's been most calm about scoring of all the people at Ipswich.

"I've not been stressed about it but I'm glad it finally came. I've always scored goals in my career so I knew it would come at some point."

Egeli cost Ipswich a Championship record fee of £17.5m when he joined them from FC Nordsjaelland in the summer and has made 12 appearances so far.

Ipswich are at home to leaders Coventry City on Saturday, a game he thinks will "suit us very well", before facing fourth-placed Stoke City three days later.

Egeli is also thinking about the hectic Christmas and New Year schedule, with Town looking to climb into the promotion places.

"It will be my first time playing football at Christmas time. There's a lot of talking about it in Norway, everyone is excited about English football during Christmas time. I am ready for it," he added.

Listen to Ipswich Town content on BBC Sounds.

Ipswich boss Kieran McKenna said that it had been a "poor performance" from his side as they snatched a late point against Blackburn at Ewood Park.

"Not good. I don't think it was a good performance in any aspect. It was a tough game but we weren't good enough so I don't think the performance merited anything from it," told BBC Radio Suffolk.

"We're happy we got the moment at the end and happy for Sindre. The reality of this season is we can have more chances and shots [than the opposition] but if we don't win it will be called a bad performance and it think we've had lots of games like that this year.

"In reality, we are one of the top teams in the league on most things, we've had among the most shots, we don't concede many shots, we're certainly not as smooth as what I would want us to be but I think there's been good things about the performance but we haven't turned that into results.

"Tonight was different, tonight was a poor performance. We know we have a lot to improve and tonight was a big step back in performance and we need to deliver much more."

Image source, Opta

Blackburn and Ipswich will do battle at Ewood Park for the second time this season when their controversial replay takes place on Tuesday night (19:45 GMT).

The original game on 20 September was abandoned in the 79th minute after heavy rain left the pitch waterlogged.

Rovers were 1-0 up through Todd Cantwell's penalty and with a man advantage following Jacob Greaves' red card on 49 minutes when play was halted as the conditions worsened.

The following week the EFL admitted it was an 'incredibly difficult decision' but said the game would have to be replayed in full.

While Kieran McKenna welcomed the decision, Rovers boss Valerien Ismael branded the decision 'a disgrace.'

Ahead of this game in hand, Rovers sit 18th, three points clear of the relegation zone, and though they have taken 13 points from their past seven games, 10 of those came on the road.

Overall they have lost six of their eight games at Ewood Park this season, claiming just four points.

Though Town lie eighth, having missed the chance to jump into the automatic promotion places as they went down 2-1 at lowly Oxford United on Friday, a win here would take the Tractor Boys into fourth.

• Blackburn Rovers have won only one of their past seven league games against Ipswich Town (D2 L4), a 2-0 home win in January 2019 under Tony Mowbray.

• Ipswich completed a league double over Blackburn Rovers when the pair last met in the 2023/24 season – the last time either side went on a longer winning run in this matchup was between 1990 and 1992 (6 in a row by the Tractor Boys).

• Blackburn have already beaten Leicester and Southampton in the Championship this season. They last won three consecutive league games against sides relegated from the Premier League the previous campaign in May 2014 (v Reading, QPR and Wigan).

• Blackburn have lost six of their past eight home league games (W1 D1), and haven't kept a clean sheet in any of their last 14 at Ewood Park in the Championship (23 goals conceded).

• Ipswich are unbeaten in their past 12 away league games played on a Tuesday (W9 D3) since a 0-2 defeat to Charlton in League One in December 2021.

Ipswich Town boss Kieran McKenna said that reaching the top six has not played into his thoughts as his side prepare to face Oxford United on Friday night (20:00 GMT).

The Tractor Boys have reached their highest position on the table so far this season following a win over Hull City, extending their undefeated streak to a sixth straight game.

But reaching fifth place is not something the Northern Irishman is using to measure their success.

"The narrative doesn't make too much difference, at the moment there's so many games still to play," he told BBC Radio Suffolk.

"Maybe for supporters and people who look at that it's a sign of progress, but I try to see the progress in other ways.

"We aren't kidding ourselves. There's a lot improvement still to do, a lot of work still to do, and that's where the focus is."

Listen to the full interview with McKenna and more Ipswich Town content on BBC Sounds.