Manager Mick McCarthy says beating Norwich City in today’s East Anglian derby won’t just see the Blues claim local pride but would be a significant psychological boost for his players (Sky Sports 1/HD1 noon, KO 12.15pm).
Having beaten Fulham 2-1 on the opening day, McCarthy says defeating another recently relegated former Premier League side would give his squad a big lift.
"The psychological boost we would get is from winning the game and beating a good team because they are a good team,” he said.
"What our lads want to do is they want to be in the top six. Whether that’s possible, I don’t know.
"That would be the psychological boost, beating a Norwich team who have just come out of the Premier League, who have just had two good victories, that’s the boost that you get. I know it’ll be a little bit more because it’s a local derby.”
McCarthy dismissed suggestions of his players wanting revenge for the 5-1 and 4-1 hammerings when the teams most recently met three seasons ago.
None of the 18 which featured in the last game at Portman Road are still at Town while Tommy Smith is the only player at the club who played in the match at Carrow Road.
"Nothing to do with us, that!” McCarthy added. "I hope people aren’t getting revenge for my games at Wolves when I’ve been left for two years, or Sunderland: ‘Mick McCarthy lost here, we’ve got to get revenge on his behalf!’. It’s a different game.”
Luke Hyam was with the Blues back in 2010/11 but watched from the stands, while the only current Town player other than Smith to have been involved in an East Anglian derby in any capacity is Bartosz Bialkowski, who was on the bench in the 3-2 win at Portman Road in 2009 during his earlier loan spell.
For Norwich, John Ruddy, Russell Martin, Andrew Surman and Wes Hoolahan have all featured in previous games between the clubs.
McCarthy says there are lots of elements which come into play in a derby: "You might get a little bit of luck, but you’ve got to compete because generally they are a little bit more competitive.
"How that transpires I don’t really know because we all give 100 per cent every week, certainly we do, and then you get another game which can get a little bit more heated.
"It’s also about being calm, actually. It’s being able to have the ball when people are expecting things of you, demanding that you win. Having a calm head and the coolness to play.
"And then when chances come along, which inevitably they will for both teams, it’s about who manages to take them.”