Jaden Philogene’s first goal at Portman Road has given the Blues a 1-0 half-time lead against Sheffield United.
Town made two changes from the team which drew 2-2 with Derby a fortnight ago with Darnell Furlong and Chuba Akpom coming into the team.
Furlong, making his Blues debut, replaced Ashley Young, who dropped out of the squad, at right-back with Akpom, making his full debut for the club, coming in for Conor Chaplin, who joined Portsmouth on loan on deadline day, in the number 10 role behind George Hirst.
Recent signings Marcelino Nunez and Sindre Walle Egeli were on the bench for the first time alongside another of the summer additions, Ivan Azon, and Sammie Szmodics, who was fit enough to be involved despite withdrawing from international action with Ireland due to a swollen ankle.
Sheffield United handed debuts to former Blues central defender Mark McGuinness, who joined from Luton, and midfielder Alex Matos, who signed from Chelsea.
Tom Cannon returning to the XI was a third change from their 1-0 defeat at Middlesbrough prior to the international break with Gus Hamer and Tyrese Campbell dropping to the bench, while Tyler Bindon was left out of the squad. Former Town loanees Ben Godfrey and Louie Barry also started for the Blades.
Town began the game on the front foot with the Portman Road crowd making plenty of noise. On two, Chuba Akpom fed Philogene out on the left and the former Aston Villa man cut inside but scuffed his shot through to visitors’ keeper Michael Cooper.
The game went through a scrappy phase with the Blues giving the ball away too easily in their own half but with the Blades unable to make anything of the situations.
On 11, Town were left wondering how they hadn’t gone in front. After good work from Jens Cajuste and Jaden Philogene on the left, Leif Davis sent over a low cross which was just too far in front of Hirst. Keeper Cooper got enough of a hand on the ball to divert it onto the top of Akpom’s head and away with the Blues otherwise certain to score.
Within a minute, the Blues had another opportunity, Philogene shooting against Cooper from a tight angle on the left.
In the 17th minute, Barry crossed from the left for the Blades and Callum O’Hare flicked a header off a Town defender and behind.
Three minutes later, Cajuste deftly turned, feinted, then swept the ball wide to Kasey McAteer on the right. The Ireland man stopped and shot from an angle, Cooper saving, when crossing first time might have been a better option.
But Town fans didn’t have to wait too much longer for a goal. On 20, Matos cut out a nothing McAteer pass on halfway from the right and inadvertently played a 40-yard cross-field ball to Philogene, who gleefully accepted the gift, cut in, dummied a shot, then curled a shot just inside Cooper’s left post.
While the home crowd were still celebrating the ex-England U21 international’s first Portman Road goal, the Blues weren’t far away from making it 2-0.
Davis burst down the left and sent over a low cross which flew across the box but behind all his teammates.
Having gone in front, the Blues were well in control, although without creating a further chance until the 33rd minute when Hirst won the ball and Philogene found Akpom, whose low cross from the left failed to find a teammate.
As the half moved into its final minute, the visitors struggled to deal with a Davis cross but Town were unable to get a clear strike at goal and the ball eventually ran through to Cooper. Moments before the whistle, McAteer shot through to the Blades keeper.
The Blues deserved their lead at the break having been in control from the most part and having created virtually all the chances, while still looking a little scruffy at times.
Philogene took his goal very confidently having hit a couple of earlier efforts, while McAteer had also had a couple of promising openings and Cooper’s hand prevented Akpom from opening his Town account.
The Blades had passed the ball around neatly in spells but largely unthreateningly in their own half, looking very much a side at the bottom of the table without a win and having gone eight successive halves without a goal.
Town: Palmer, Furlong, O’Shea (c), Greaves, Davis, Matusiwa, Cajuste, McAteer, Akpom, Philogene, Hirst. Subs: Walton, Kipre, Johnson, Taylor, Nunez, Szmodics, J Clarke, Walle Egeli, Azon.
Sheffield United: Cooper, Tanganga, Godfrey, Cannon, O’Hare, Brooks, Burrows, McGuinness, Barry, Matos, Peck (c). Subs: A Davies, McCallum, Hamer, Mee, Soumare, Campbell, Chong, One, Seriki. Referee: Farai Hallam (Surrey).