Boss Kieran McKenna says the Portman Road crowd can play a big part as the Blues look for their first home win of the season against Crystal Palace on Tuesday (Amazon Prime, KO 7.30pm), the first of two back-to-back games on Suffolk soil this week with AFC Bournemouth visiting on Sunday.

Town are yet to win at Portman Road this season, having had a strong record on their own turf in the previous two seasons, losing only once at home in each of those campaigns.

This season, Town have drawn four and lost two of their games at Portman Road and will feel they should have turned some of those draws into victories, most notably the Leicester match, while they weren’t too far away against Fulham and Aston Villa.

The Blues have had some notable nights under the lights at Portman Road over the last couple of seasons - the 3-2 victory over Southampton particularly springs to mind - but Tuesday’s game is the first of this season.

Town’s last match under floodlights at Portman Road in the Premier League was their most recent top-flight home victory, the 1-0 success against Middlesbrough in April 2002 in which Darren Bent scored his first Premier League goal.

McKenna is relishing the evening game against the Eagles and the Cherries’ visit following so quickly on Sunday.

“We're looking forward to it,” he said. “We always made a big thing of these in League One and the Championship in terms of back-to-back home games and really trying to be in a position to go and attack them, and this is the first time we've had that chance this season.

“I think we might have one more opportunity like this after the Christmas period [Brighton and Manchester City in January]. But we know in the Premier League they don't come around too often, so we want to make the most of it.

“We know they are two really, really good teams and we respect each opponent. We're going to have to do an awful lot of things right and not very many things wrong to get a win or to get results in either game.

“But that's what we're going to try and do. I think overall the feeling is excitement and we have to look forward to the game.

“It's not about the league table or positions or anything like that. In my perspective, it's about two home games now. A midweek home game, playing in front of our supporters.

“Another landmark in terms of being our first evening game at Portman Road back in the Premier League. And let's go and try and make it a brilliant game with a really good performance. And hopefully, points will come with that.”

McKenna says the Portman Road atmosphere can make a big difference and urged fans to stay behind his team even if there are difficult spells on Tuesday evening.

“It makes a huge difference,” he said. “I think it's been fantastic this season, home and away. I think the Man United game was the last one, the atmosphere was incredible and the fans represented themselves so well to a worldwide audience.

“But this one's so important as well. And especially coming off a result that wasn't quite as good as we'd hoped and playing against a team who are in a similar position to us in the league, it's easy for tension to creep in for everyone.

“Of course, a little bit of that can be human nature. But I think the biggest thing overall we need to feel is excitement for the game, passion for the game. We need the crowd to stick with the players for the 90-plus minutes as they do so well.

“We know every chance is not going to be our way. I can 100 per cent guarantee that it's going to be a tough game and there's going to be things that go against us in the game.

“So, the crowd sticking with the players, the players putting in the performance that the crowd can get behind and everyone throwing everything at it for the 90-plus minutes, that's going to be what it's going to take.”

Asked how big it would be to get that elusive first home win, McKenna said: “It'll be brilliant. We know it will come. We want it to come as soon as possible. We've had four draws at home.

“Those draws have all been good matches and all been good performances. We feel like in all of those draws at home we certainly could have won. We feel like in one or two of them we certainly should have won. So we know we're not that far away from it.

“But apart from maybe the Leicester game, which I’d say, in my opinion, was on decisions, other than that there's a step that we have to make and we have to own to turn one of those performances into a win. So we've got two chances to do that this week.

“It's still really tough. The bookmakers probably won't have us favourite for either game, we’re still playing against a Crystal Palace team with a lot of individual quality and a lot of Premier League experience, three or four players in the England squad in the summer [Marc Guehi, Adam Wharton, Eberechi Eze and Dean Henderson].

“I don't think there's going to be one game this season we're going to go into as overwhelming favourites, but if we play as we are capable of playing, then we know that we can fight for a result in any home game.

“And we've got two chances to do it this week. And it's going to take everyone to give absolutely everything they can in both games. If we do that, then hopefully we'll get our first win, and it'll be a great moment.”

Palace are currently 17th, two places above the Blues and one out of the relegation zone, but level on points with Town and 18th-placed Wolves.

The Eagles have won only once in the league this season, a 1-0 home victory over Tottenham in October. On their travels, Palace have drawn three and lost three.

The South Londoners, who are without a win in four, drew 1-1 at home to Newcastle on Saturday, Daniel Muñoz netting a 94th-minute leveller.

Despite the teams both being among those battling against the drop, McKenna isn’t particularly concentrating on that aspect of the fixture.

“It's an important game,” he said. “All the home games are, I think, irrespective of who we play, playing our first double fixture of the season.

“Our first midweek game at home in the season, we would always say it is a really big game and an exciting game, an occasion to enjoy. But also a chance to perform and a chance to get points. We would say that whoever we were playing against.

“Of course, Crystal Palace are a team that we respect a lot. They've got a lot of top players, are picking up some decent form, have high quality individuals and a good manager, so we fully respect them.

“But the game is about us playing at our stadium in a midweek game now and going to try and deliver a performance that everyone can get behind.

“And we know if we do that, we're a really hard team to beat at home. And we've got to try and make that step to picking up our first home win.”

McKenna was close to joining Palace as manager in February but when quizzed on quite how near he came to the Selhurst Park hotseat, the Blues boss was keeping his cards close to his chest.

“I never speak about individual instances with individual clubs because I don’t think there’s any benefit to it to anyone really,” he said.

“A good club, well-established in the Premier League, good team, good manager and looking forward to facing them tomorrow night.”

For the first time this season, the Blues have a quick turnaround for a fixture but McKenna says that doesn’t impact his famously detailed preparations.

“I think you have to find different ways to frame it, different ways to get it into the time period, so you’ve got to condense it maybe, more so than adjust,” he reflected.

“This is certainly a condensed preparation. We’ve had lots of five, six, seven-day preparations for the games. This one’s a short one with it being a Tuesday night, so you’ve got to condense the messages and condense the ideas that you want to get into the team.

“But I think they’ll still be pretty consistent with what they would be if we had a longer preparation. It’s just about getting the messages as concise as they can be, selecting the team, working through the detail of the game plan that’s going to be important for us and trying to execute.”

The Team

McKenna has one or two decisions to make with one enforced change due to Axel Tuanzebe suffering his serious hamstring injury.

That will see either Harry Clarke or Ben Johnson return at right-back. Clarke may get the nod with Johnson having missed a lot of training over the last week due to a muscle injury.

Leif Davis, who will be making his 100th league appearance for the club will be at left-back with set to continued Dara O’Shea at right centre-half.

Alongside the Irish international, McKenna again has to choose between Cameron Burgess, who would also be making his 100th Town league start, and fit-again Jacob Greaves. The former Hull City man may return, despite the Australian’s impressive performances in his absence. Aro Muric will be in goal.

In midfield, skipper Sam Morsy is likely to be partnered by Jens Cajuste, who has taken to the Premier League like a duck to water but still looks a little short of full match fitness, the Swedish international having looked very tired before being subbed on Saturday.

Kalvin Phillips, like left-back Johnson, is set to be assessed ahead of the game having rolled his ankle following the Leicester match and may not be risked from the start until Sunday’s game against Bournemouth.

In the three ahead of Morsy and Cajuste, Omari Hutchinson may move back into the middle with Wes Burns and Sammie Szmodics on the right and left respectively. Liam Delap will be up front.

Opposition

Palace’s Austrian boss Oliver Glasner, who was appointed in February following the interest in McKenna, wasn’t prepared to say the draw with Newcastle marked a turning point in what has been a disappointing start to the season.

“You can ask me this after the Ipswich game, I don't know,” he said at his press conference.

“I think it's not just the point, it's the performance overall that was really good, and we created chances.
“Yes, it is, in some situations, a little bit of déja vu, having clear chances but missing them. At the end, us getting the reward is sometimes how you write books for movies, with Daniel Muñoz missing two big chances and scoring in stoppage time.

“We think when we analyse our games, when we watch our games, that we improve, step by step – not in big steps, but step by step.

“Also in our defensive compactness, again, allowing Newcastle zero shots from open play, it's just unbelievable – well done [to our defence]. But on the other hand, we are not really pleased or happy with the result.

“Even if it was a lucky point at the end, with all the drama, it still feels like we should have taken three points, and this is the clear target and the clear goal for the game at Ipswich: to go there, perform on the same level, take the chances we will create, and go back with three points.”

Reflecting on Tuesday’s game, he echoed his Town counterparts comments: “I don't think it's a six-pointer, but it's an important game. Every single game is important.

“We could see with Ipswich: we watched their Man United game, a little bit similar to our Newcastle game - and I think they should have won the game with the chances they had.

“They won away at Tottenham Hotspur, they played very physical, very direct, with a lot of power, but we can turn it [on its head].

“Ipswich will play against a team with the same amount of points like we have: ‘We have a home game, we want to take the three points.’ I think this is how they will enter the game and we will do the same. And then let's see what happens.”

Glasner admits that taking nine points from the first 13 games is a disappointment after ending last season with six wins and a draw from their last seven, which included a 4-0 hammering of Manchester United and a final-day 5-0 walloping of Aston Villa.

“Absolutely, it's what I said [it’s a drop off from last season],” he conceded. “We are not pleased with the points we have. But on the other side, I think we had some better performances than we had in the 13 games at the end of the season.

“And also when we compare everything, when we won against Newcastle 2-0 at home at the end of the season, and the other 1-1 - I think we were closer to winning the game this time around than the other game.

“But this is it, and this is what we have to work on to get the results, to get the points. And you can believe me, this is what we are working on.

“I enjoy working with this group of players because they are such great guys and they always keep going, and I want them to get the reward for investing so much.
“This is what happens during the game: sometimes I talk to my staff and I say ‘I can't believe it’, ‘This is the next chance’, ‘this is the next chance,’ but we are missing.

“I don't know, when Newcastle had one [shot] in over 100 minutes in any game in the last, I don't know, I think in the last 10 years, maybe you don't find one.

“And we did it, but at the end we have to be lucky that we get the points. Sometimes it's crazy what happens in football.

“And we have to go through these crazy times and we will go through it. Of course we need more points. This is what we know and this is what we are going for.”

Turning to the busy December period, he continued: “But now we play at Ipswich, then we play Manchester City, Brighton & Hove Albion and Arsenal. So number two, three and four on the table.

“These are challenging months, but I mentioned it when I arrived here - if I would like to have it relaxing, I would be in Austrian and go skiing, but I want this challenge with my team, with Crystal Palace, and we feel well prepared.

“Ipswich have a clear style of playing, so credit to their manager, Kieran McKenna. Very intense, high-pressing team.

“Usually you don't have time on the ball and also in position. They try to build up short passes and then when they enter the opposite half, the final third, they go quite direct to the goal with crosses, numbers in the box and being very aggressive.

“This is what we expected, but it's nothing completely unusual for a Premier League game. But yes, they’re doing really well.”

Midfielder Daichi Kamada misses out as he’s serving the third game of a three-match ban, while once-capped England midfielder Wharton is not ready to return after a groin injury.

Forward Matheus Franca is a long-term absentee with an adductor issue, while centre-half Chadi Riad is on his way back from injury but may not be ready for Tuesday.

Another central defender, Rob Holding, has been training away from the first-team squad for some while for unspecified reasons.

History

Historically, Town have the edge on Palace, winning 32 games between the sides (30 in the league), losing 27 (26) and drawing 24 (24).

The sides most recently met in the second round of the Carabao Cup at Selhurst Park in August 2017 when manager Mick McCarthy fielded an entirely changed XI and handed seven players Blues debuts - George Fowler, Pat Webber, Shane McLoughlin and Ben Folami from the beginning and Ben Morris, Monty Patterson and Chris Smith from the bench - while then-18-year-old Luke Woolfenden made his first senior start for the club.

Bersant Celina, in his initial loan spell at the club, netted his first Blues goal in injury time but two earlier James McArthur strikes saw Crystal Palace to a 2-1 victory.

The youthful Blues did themselves proud and held out until the 76th minute when McArthur curled home the first of his brace, the second coming eight minutes later, before Celina's goal threatened to spark a late, late Town comeback.

The teams last met in the league in the Championship at Portman Road in April 2013 when the Blues won 3-0 as they successfully fought off relegation in McCarthy’s first season at the club.

Frank Nouble scored twice - his first goals for the club - and Aaron Cresswell the Town goal of that season, all three coming late in the first half.

Earlier that season the Eagles had beaten Town 5-0 at Selhurst Park in recently-appointed McCarthy’s second game in charge, his first defeat having taken over at Portman Road at the end of the previous week and seen the Blues to a 1-0 win at Birmingham in his first match.

Yannick Bolasie had put the home side ahead at half-time before an extraordinary 11 minutes early in the second half in which Palace were awarded three penalties, Glenn Murray scoring two and having one saved.

The Eagles striker later added his third and the Eagles' fourth before sub Andre Moritz made it five in injury time.

Familiar Faces

Crystal Palace’s on-loan Chelsea centre-half or midfielder Trevoh Chalobah spent the 2018/19 relegation season on loan with the Blues, making his first appearances in senior XI, usually in midfield rather than at the heart of the defence where he operates for Palace, as he made 36 starts and eight sub appearances, scoring twice.

Eagles full-back Joel Ward was a Blues target in the summer of 2012 when he left Portsmouth but after a protracted chase opted to join the South Londoners.

Palace’s third-choice keeper Remi Matthews, who is from Gorleston, trained with Town in the summer of 2020 after leaving Bolton Wanderers but had a number of Championship clubs interested in him and eventually joined Sunderland.

The visitors’ goalkeeper-coach Dean Kiely was on loan with Town between October and November 1989 without making a senior appearance.

Blues legend James Scowcroft is European scout with the Eagles, where he played between 2006 and 2009.

Town’s set-play and first-team coach Mark Hudson was a centre-back with Palace between 2004 and 2008.

Blues U21s coach David Wright - who is currently working with the U18s following Olly Lee’s exit to Norwich - was a player at Selhurst Park from 2010 to 2013.

Officials

Tuesday’s referee is Craig Pawson, who has shown 41 yellow cards and two red in 11 games this season, including European fixtures.

The South Yorkshire-based official’s assistants will be James Mainwaring and Nat Aspinall, and the fourth official Gavin Ward. The VAR official will be Chris Kavanagh and his assistant Gary Beswick.

Pawson’s last Blues match was the 2-0 defeat to Leeds United at Elland Road in October 2018, Paul Hurst’s last game as Town boss with Marcus Evans swinging the axe the following day. Pawson cautioned Flynn Downes, Jon Nolan, Jonas Knudson and no Whites.

His last Portman Road visit saw Town beat Middlesbrough 4-0 back in February 2013 - the game then-manager McCarthy missed through illness - in which he booked only Guirane N’Daw.

Prior to that Pawson refereed the 3-1 FA Cup defeat to Hull City the previous season when he yellow-carded Tommy Smith and one home player.

Earlier that campaign he was in charge of the 3-0 home win over Coventry, booking only one Sky Blue.

In February 2011 he refereed the 1-1 home draw with Hull, yellow-carding Grant Leadbitter.

In March the previous year he took control of the 0-0 draw at Swansea, in which he cautioned one home player.

Squad From

Muric, Walton, Slicker, Davis, Townsend, Johnson, H Clarke, O’Shea, Woolfenden, Burgess, Greaves, Morsy (c), Cajuste, Phillips, Luongo, Taylor, Hutchinson, Chaplin, Szmodics, J Clarke, Broadhead, Burns, Delap, Al-Hamadi.

TWTD

Stato added 19:46 - Dec 2 We looked totally lopsided against Forest with every attack going down the right and Davis hardly seeing the ball on the left. Chappers looked lively throughout but my guess is that Omari will be back in the middle. We've got to get better service to Delap and we need balance so that Davis gets plenty of the ball on the left but Omari in the middle hasn't been bringing the wins we need so it's hard to see what set up will give us best attacking threat.

4

Tractorboy58 added 20:18 - Dec 2 Muric, Clarke, O'Shea, Greaves, Burgess, Davis, Morsy, Cajuste, Hutchison, Chaplin, Smodicz, Delap
-1

WaltonBlueNaze added 20:33 - Dec 2 @Tractorboy58 - I think we might win if we play with your 12…..
9

WaltonBlueNaze added 20:34 - Dec 2 @Tractorboy58 - I think we might win if we play with your 12…..
1

BlueWax added 20:38 - Dec 2 Tractor boy 58. 12 players v Palace...I like your style...should be first home win even if we get a man sent off lol
2

Tractorboy58 added 21:00 - Dec 2 My bad .. LOL .. but do like the 3 CBs with 2 wing backs .. probably take Smodicz out of that team
0

mathiemagic added 08:16 - Dec 3 If Eze is back as reported and playing down the left then im sticking a tenner on a Clarke red card ! - Joking aside, we havent won at home and Palace havent won away so something has to give tonight, please let it be a home win ... COYB !
4

Barty added 08:32 - Dec 3 Massive game tonight and missing Axel is a huge blow but i still fancy a town win. COYB.
0

Steve_ITFC_Sweden added 10:04 - Dec 3 Sorry to sound pessimistic, but I think this is a massively difficult game. Palace have key men back and they are a fast, dangerous, exciting side and will have a noisy following. We will need to be excellent to beat them (both in the stands and on the pitch). Let's hope we can do it.
5

SuperTabby added 13:47 - Dec 3 Not having Axel is a big loss for us. I’m hoping that McKenna will be able to find a solution and we’ll be able to get the win here tonight. I’ve always backed us in home games under the lights, and this feels like a big win. COYB
1

Ebantiass added 13:58 - Dec 3 I really dont care for palarse but they are no mugs. With Axel out and Eze back he will tear Clarke a new one unfourtunatly as Clarke is a battler but with the very ineffective Burns in front of him Palarse will target our right side.
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Barty added 15:27 - Dec 3 I agree it could be a tricky game but lets face it - Palace have the same points as us and have scored less goals and i am optimistic of our first home win.
0

Cloddyseedbed added 19:01 - Dec 3 In McKenna we must trust but personally I am fearful of another poor result tonight after seeing the team. I agree Palace will have a field day on our right side. Clarke always a mistake in him and keeps getting caught out the wrong side of players and Burns, well he hasn't once played well all season, it's either he is isn't fit, lost his confidence or not interested. very disappointed in him this season. As for Jack Clarke I was so excited when we signed him but all we seemed to have signed is someone who's only interested in wearing shorts that are 10 sizes to big and his constant fiddling with them, either pulling them down or pulling them up. For god sake boy, wear shorts that fit and just get on with playing football to your best ability for what we signed you for! COYB's

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dusth added 19:09 - Dec 3 MathieM, nothing has to give. It could be a draw. As for the doomsayers even the boys at EADT called the Spurs game wrong. Kieran could surely have put Woolfie in at RB so I guess Harry, who is a fighter, has been training well.
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