Midfielder Ryan Tunnicliffe sees similarities in the styles of football played by his current loan club Wigan and Town, where he spent the first half of the season. The two play-off chasing teams meet at Portman Road on Saturday.
The 21-year-old joined the Latics last month, having been recalled from his loan with the Blues by Manchester United in January ahead of a permanent switch to Fulham.
"They run, run, run and never give up,” Tunnicliffe said of Town when speaking to Wigan’s official website. "They like to run teams off the pitch and they score goals by pressing.
"During my time there we were one of the fittest teams in the league, so it’s going to be difficult this weekend, but our style is pretty similar and Ipswich will have to be wary of us just as much.
"The gaffer wants us to press high and win the ball in the final third, something which has been very effective in our recent games.
"Looking at both teams there aren’t many differences in that respect and it’s shown in the league positions up until now because Ipswich very much want to push for the play-offs.”
He says he enjoyed his spell with the Blues: "My time at Ipswich was great, it made me grow up and mature on the pitch and off the pitch.
"When I left the club I said I’ll have friends for life there because all of the lads were great. I keep in touch with some of the Ipswich boys and it was a great environment to be in, it will be nice to go back and see them.”
The Heywood-born former England U17 international recalls playing for the Blues in their unlucky 2-0 defeat at the JW Stadium early on in the season: "It’s a strange situation for me because I played for Ipswich in the last meeting and I remember feeling disappointed.
"My aim now is to focus completely on Wigan Athletic and to help make sure we continue our recent run at the weekend.”
He says a victory at Portman Road, which will take the Latics’ winning streak to eight in all competitions and six in the league, will put down a marker: "If we beat Ipswich it will show a real statement of intent to the rest of the division.
"To win three or four games in a row in this league is a difficult achievement, so to win a sixth game in a row will send out a big message.”