Mick McCarthy says David Nugent’s remarkable record against the Blues has to come to an end at some point. Town’s nemesis returns to Portman Road - where he has scored on every visit - with Middlesbrough this evening, having joined the Teessiders in a £4 million deal from Leicester in the summer.
The 30-year-old took his tally against the Blues to 14 goals in 13 games when he helped Leicester to a 3-0 victory at the Kingpower Stadium in February 2014, the last time he faced Town.
At Portman Road he’s at his most deadly having never failed to score - a total of nine in seven - for Preston, Portsmouth, the Foxes and England’s U21s in a game against Moldova in 2006.
"They’re a good side, they’ve invested a lot of money in David Nugent, who has probably scored more goals against us than the rest of the league put together,” McCarthy said. "He’s a big investment but there’ll be a good return on it, I’m sure.”
Quizzed about Nugent’s record, the Town boss quipped, "Got a record out as well, has he?
"Why he’s got such a good record against us heaven only knows, but I take the view that it’s got to stop some time. It might as well be Friday.
"There’s no point in being any other way. We know he can play, we know he’s quick, we know he’s got good movement and he’s a really good finisher, he’s been a Premier League footballer. We’ve got to tie him down. Our lads are playing well at the minute.”
Has he ever made comment to Nugent about his goals after a match? "I have, possibly a gentle rebuke! I like him, I like the way he plays the game.
"I like him as a player, he’s one of them that you can like and admire as a player but you don’t like him playing against you, that’s generally a respectful way rather than anything else.
"I tried to sign him from Portsmouth on loan when he was out of the team when I was at Wolves but we couldn’t do it.”
Skipper Luke Chambers is confident that the Blues can get the better of Nugent, who is without a goal in his last four games and has scored once in his last nine, this evening.
"We can match him and not just with Tommy Smith and Christophe Berra at the back," he said. "Our strikers are up there as some of the best in the league.
"We’ve got the main man from last season, Daryl Murphy, who was the Championship’s leading scorer with 27 goals.”