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Ipswich Town 0 v 2 Brighton and Hove Albion
FA Premier League
Thursday, 16th January 2025 Kick-off 19:30
McKenna: Brighton a Good Test to See How Far We've Progressed
Wednesday, 15th Jan 2025 18:42

Town manager Kieran McKenna says Thursday evening’s game against Brighton & Hove Albion at Portman Road is a good test of how far the Blues have progressed since the teams last met in September and drew 0-0 (TNT Sports, KO 7.30pm).

The Blues go into the game having won their last two matches at home, the 2-0 defeat of Chelsea and then the 3-0 FA Cup win against League One Bristol Rovers on Sunday.

Wednesday’s fixtures saw Town move out of the relegation zone to 17th, Wolves dropping below them following their 3-0 loss at Newcastle.

McKenna says the Blues’ first Premier League victory of the campaign over the West Londoners and the performance against one of the division’s top sides was a boost, and also ended one line of regular pre-match questioning.

“I think it changes the narrative a little bit because that was the first league home win,” he said. “Until you get that, it's always going to be the question going into every home game.

“It was always the question, it just happened to be that our first two wins were away from home [at Spurs and Wolves]. We were inches away on quite a few occasions or seconds away from getting a Premier League home win, but it took a little bit longer. 

“So it was always going to be a question and it's nice not to have that question, but I'm sure when we're going to get the second win will be the next question!

“I think for the players, it was more the performance, the night, the qualities that we showed, the ability to hurt a top, top team, the ability to defend so well against a top, top team, and the ability to get a victory against a top Chelsea team is something that gave us confidence. 

“I don't think the confidence in the group is necessarily about the first home win because they know but for Lady Luck and some decisions and the toss of a coin, we would have had home wins, but I think more competing as we did against a team like Chelsea and managing to get the game over the line. I think that certainly gave the group a bit of confidence.”

Even prior to the Chelsea win, McKenna says his side’s displays will have given Town supporters belief.

“The fans have seen the performances at home, which have generally been very, very good and they've enjoyed seeing us compete against the teams,” he continued.

“I think they know, give or take, I don't know if we'll be favourites going into any games this year, so we have no right to even at home beat Chelsea or to beat Man United, as we almost did, or to beat Brighton tomorrow night.

“We have no divine right to do it and we won't be favourites to do it, but I think they believe in how we've been performing and there's been a frustration that we weren't able to get the win that we deserved.

“I think finally getting it, the supporters will come to the stadium again tomorrow night knowing that again we have to climb a mountain to compete in the game and get the result we want, but that we're capable of doing it, and that's what we're going to try our utmost to do. So, it sets it up well for the games coming up.”

Following the Chelsea game, the Blues drew 2-2 at Fulham, and were within a couple of minutes of winning, and McKenna was asked how his side can build on the momentum of picking up four points in two matches.

“Try to play well and try to get a result,” he said. “I know it's said we're in good form at the moment, but I think we've been pretty consistent all season, to be honest.

“We've been competitive in nearly all the games and we certainly were in the last one against Fulham. 

“We were disappointed not to get a win, which I think is a great sign of progression, but each game starts at square one and we're facing a really good Brighton side. It's going to be a big challenge and we just take the game fresh and give it everything we got.”

McKenna was asked whether he sees Brighton as a blueprint for Town trying to establish themselves in the Premier League, the Seagulls having been a fixture in the top flight - and latterly the top half of the top flight - since being promoted in 2016/17.

“They've done it fantastically on their journey,” he said. “As I've said before, it's well known and well regarded and they've done incredible work really to establish themselves as they have, but each journey is unique. 

“I don't know what the reference is for us in modern football. Brighton were four or five years at the top of the Championship competing in the play-off positions, investing heavily in the squad, in the training ground and everything before they got promoted.

“So the point that they got promoted was very, very different than the point that we got promoted, similar for Brentford, Fulham, Bournemouth, obviously kicked on really well but two teams who were in the Premier League for a good amount of time, had one season in the Championship, kept the group together bounced back up and have now kicked on. 

“So, I'm not sure there is a reference for us. I'm not sure there is a shining example that we can see and in some ways that's a challenge. But in another way, it's exciting because there are no rules for how you go from League One to the Premier League in two years and try and make a real good fist of it. 

“We're doing what we feel is right. We've tried to make the decisions that we feel are right, but I think we're on our own journey and there aren't many who have been on this journey, and certainly not in the very modern Premier League that we're facing at the moment. 

“They are an example in some aspects for every football club in the world in terms of how well they've been run and made decisions, but in terms of us competing in the Premier League this season, I think we're our own story.”

Could Town become a blueprint for other clubs? “I don't know. I'm sure they'll say that we've had advantages as well. We've got a 30,000 crowd and we've got a history. Hopefully, some teams will look at us and think we've done some things they'd like to follow, but everyone's on their own journey.”

Earlier in the season, the Blues battled to a 0-0 draw at the Amex Stadium, a match McKenna says was as tough as any so far.

“I think it was one of the most difficult games we've had and the players really felt that on the pitch as well, and that was part of their reflection,” he said.

“We know the level of the opponent. I think they were much better than us on the day, but that's understandable at the time of the season and the journey we've been on compared to where they're at.

“To get something out of the game, we showed a great level of resilience and we showed a great level of desire, and our defensive organisation was really good to keep them at bay.

“We had a few moments which went our way and actually we had a 15-20-minute spell in the second half where we kicked on and actually we could have went and got a winner.

“I think we're going to need those ingredients again tomorrow night. We know they're a very, very good team whenever they're in full flow and they've shown that all season.

“They've beaten some of the best teams in the league and played very well in the majority of their games. 


“So we're going to be up against it at times, we're going to have to show resilience at times, but we also know that we can impose ourselves on them.

“We want to do it for longer in this game than we managed to do in the away game, and that will give us a better chance to get a result.

“We know the level of the opponent, we know the challenge, it's a good test for us to see where we're at from when we played them early in the season and we're going to go and try and give a good account of ourselves.”

Brighton boss Fabian Hürzeler, the youngest manager in the Premier League at 31, is someone McKenna, who is seven years older, admires and the Town manager feels the two have taken comparable paths to the Premier League.

“I don't know the ins and outs of how he works,” he said. “Of course, I think there are some similarities. He's much younger than me and makes me an old hand at it, but there are similarities in terms that he's done a very, very good job at St Pauli and got them promoted to the Bundesliga when they weren't expected to be.

“Other than that, I think you can watch the teams and there are some similar principles in there in terms of what we want from our teams in certain phases.

“And I think he communicates very well. I think he communicates very well in the media and I've met him once or twice now and he's a very nice guy, so he seems to be doing a good job and we'll try and give them a really good contest tomorrow.”

Has Brighton’s style of play evolved over the course of the season, Hürzeler having taken over in the summer following Roberto De Zerbi’s departure with McKenna himself having been ear-marked as the man to take over at the Amex until he opted to sign a new deal at Town.

“I think probably more so they've had quite a few changes and they've had quite a few injuries as well,” he reflected.

“They’ve got a lot of different options, especially in the forward positions, so I think he's said himself they've probably not been as consistent in terms of selection as he would have liked.

“And then when you have different players available, sometimes that changes the structure that you decide to play in, so I think they've had quite a lot of variation over the last couple of months.

“The team that we played in the fourth game was a little bit different. I think maybe it was the first game that [Georginio] Rutter came into and that changed their positional balance a little bit, so they've had quite a bit of variation.

“I don't think there's a big change in style, but I think you can clearly see from the start of the season what they wanted to do.

“I think it's more of an effect, probably they have a big and deep squad, they've had some injuries and personnel-wise they can certainly change the whole front four, they can change a couple of midfielders and have different options that change the nature of the challenge in that area of the pitch.”

The Seagulls are without a win in eight Premier League matches, although losing only two, and have dropped to 11th in the table.

At the weekend, they won their first game in a month and a half, albeit a 4-0 FA Cup victory at Championship Norwich City.

On their travels in the Premier League this season, Brighton have won three - 3-0 at Everton on the opening day, 1-0 at Newcastle in October and 2-1 at Bournemouth in November - drawn four and lost three.

McKenna says Albion’s lack of recent victories illustrates the tightness of matches at this level.

“I think it's just the competitive nature of the Premier League,” he reflected. “You can say they've not won in eight games, but also they've only lost four times in 20 games, and the only teams who've lost fewer are Liverpool and Arsenal, I believe, so they've been really, really hard to beat. 

“What I think they have said, and I'm sure they are saying, is they've probably drawn more games than what they would want and they've lost some leads late, and they've conceded some late goals.

“I'm sure a couple of those draws being turned into wins, they'd be in a much happier position with their points total and their place in the table. 

“The games that I've watched, they've shown some really, really good things. It's clear that in flow, when they're on top in a game and when things go how they want, they're a top side, a top, top Premier League team.

“But the league is so competitive this year and the margins to win games are really, really tough, and they've probably had too many draws, which is why they're maybe not quite as high as they want. But that certainly doesn't change our perspective on the size of the challenge that we're going to face.”

McKenna made 10 changes for Sunday’s FA Cup tie, which means most of his regular first-teamers won’t have played a game for 11 days, however, he’s not worried that there might be some rustiness with some players needing a rest having played more regularly than planned.
 
“We have no real concerns over that,” he said. “It wasn't a particularly long break. We had a game and I know a few of the boys didn't come on the pitch, but they were still prepping for a game and around the game, and if you're talking about Liam [Delap] and Jens [Cajuste] and a few people like that, they’ve probably played more minutes than we would have expected anyway. 

“So, the opportunity to have a rest and, thankfully, the game went well and we didn't need to use any players that we didn't particularly want to use on the night, means that we go into this with good freshness.

“We’re certainly going to need it because it's going to be an intense game. They’re a team that runs a lot, as do we, and we also know we're playing against Man City three days later.

“It’s going to be a really intense four-day block, so I think going into it with good freshness is a thankful relief.”

The Team

McKenna is likely to largely revert back to the team which drew at Fulham, which was also similar to the side which beat Chelsea.

Ex-Seagulls keeper Christian Walton will be in goal with Ben Godfrey set to be handed his Blues league debut in the right-back/right centre-back role.

That will probably see Luke Woolfenden drop out with Dara O’Shea moving across alongside Jacob Greaves with Leif Davis on the left with Ben Johnson perhaps getting nod ahead of Wes Burns on the right.

In central midfield, skipper Sam Morsy may be partnered by Kalvin Phillips with Jens Cajuste on the bench with the England midfielder unavailable for Sunday’s game against his parent club and Town perhaps not keen on the Swede starting two tough matches in four days.

Behind central striker Liam Delap, McKenna may well opt to start Jack Taylor, who impressed in that role against Bristol Rovers, with Nathan Broadhead on the left.

McKenna has said Omari Hutchinson could be involved, but the former Chelsea man seems most likely to be used from the bench.

The Opposition

Brighton boss Hürzeler says he knows all about what awaits his side at Portman Road.

“I heard about it,” he said. “I heard about the atmosphere there and I always see the opponent, I think they're quite stable at the moment, they're playing very efficient, they're playing a very effective style.

“They defend in a low block, they try to go for transition, but also in possession they have clear patterns.

“So I really like Kieran McKenna's working there and I enjoy seeing his development and I enjoy also what he achieved with Ipswich so far. That's very impressive. I'm really looking forward to competing against Ipswich and against him.”

He added: “We have to use the chances we get because you don't get so many chances against them and we have to be aware that they're also a good team in possession.

“They proved it in the first game against us that they are able to play out from the back, that they want to play out from the back and they defended quite good against us.

“In the end, it’s a Premier League game. In the end, it's a very tough opponent. It's about trying to create a lot of chances, trying to be very present in the opponent's box, trying to be very good in counter-pressing because they are a threat in transition. They're doing it quite good and therefore we need to pay attention in every phase.”

Winger Yankuba Minteh (knock) and forward Rutter (thigh) are doubts having limped out of the 4-0 FA Cup win at Norwich at the weekend, while another forward, Joao Pedro, will also be assessed in training ahead of the game after an ankle problem.

Better news is that skipper Lewis Dunk is set to return having missed the last two games with a calf injury.

Midfielder Jack Hinshelwood (knee) is training but may not be ready for match action, while striker Evan Ferguson (ankle), a Town loan target ahead of January last year, is also back on the grass but not yet ready to return to the squad, as is the case for midfielder Mats Wieffer.

Veteran midfielder James Milner remains sidelined with a hamstring problem, while defender Igor Julio is out for the rest of the season having undergone surgery, also on a hamstring issue. Another defender, Ferdi Kadioglu, has also gone under the knife due to a toe problem.

New signing Diego Gomez could make his Premier League debut at some stage, the midfielder having joined from Inter Miami for £12 million.

Six-goal top scorer Danny Welbeck could come back into the XI having missed five matches due to an ankle injury prior to returning as a second-half sub at Norwich.

Recent History

Historically, Town have the upper hand, having won 31 of the games (28 in the league) between the sides, Brighton 24 (22) and with 16 (15) ending in draws, including the last three matches between the clubs.

The Blues last beat Brighton at the Amex in December 2015, a 1-0 win courtesy of a Daryl Murphy goal, with their most recent home victory the previous season, a 2-0 success in September 2014. In between, Brighton won 3-2 twice, in Sussex in January 2015 and at Portman Road in August the same year.

At the Amex in September, Town secured their first away point of the season as they battled to a hard-fought 0-0 draw.

Blues keeper Aro Muric made a superb double save as the Seagulls dominated the first half, while Delap went closest to scoring for Town when he struck the post after the break.

The teams most recently met at Portman Road in September 2016 when the game also ended in a goalless draw.

Town were the better side but were unable to turn their superiority into goals even after the Seagulls were reduced to 10 men in the closing stages following Dale Stephens’s red card.

Familiar Faces

Town keeper Walton was with Brighton between February 2013 and his move to the Blues initially on loan in the summer of 2021, the switch becoming permanent in the January. During that time, he made six senior appearances, three in the league, spending much of his spell out on loan.

Brighton centre-half Adam Webster was with Town between June 2016 and June 2018, making 48 starts and five sub appearances, scoring one goal.

The former Portsmouth man, a close friend of currently injured Blues forward Conor Chaplin from their time together at Fratton Park, moved on to Bristol City for £3.5 million potentially rising to £8 million, then the following summer joined the Seagulls for £20 million with the Blues receiving a sell-on of around £1 million from that deal.

Officials

Thursday’s referee is Tony Harrington, his assistants Marc Perry and Matthew Wilkes, and the fourth official Matthew Donohue. The VAR official is Michael Salisbury and his assistant Richard West.

Cleveland-based Harrington has shown 62 yellow cards and four red in 14 games so far this season.

Harrington's last Town match was the 1-0 loss at Nottingham Forest in November when he awarded the decisive penalty, netted by ex-Blues loanee Chris Wood, for Sammie Szmodics’s foul on Jota Silva. In addition, O’Shea, Cajuste, Axel Tuanzebe and one home player were booked.

His most recent Blues game prior to that was September 2018’s 2-0 defeat at Hull City in which he yellow-carded two Tigers and no Blues.

Prior to that, he was in charge of the loss at Aston Villa by the same scoreline in November 2017 in which he booked Callum Connolly and Emyr Huws.

Harrington also took control of the 1-0 defeat at Sheffield United a month earlier in which he yellow-carded Jonas Knudsen and two home players.

Before that he refereed the 2-1 defeat at QPR at the start of January 2017 in which he kept his cards in his pocket throughout and also the 0-0 home draw with Aston Villa at Portman Road in September of the previous year in which he booked Tom Lawrence and one Villan.

Harrington took charge of the 2-1 defeat at Bristol City in February 2016, in which he cautioned Kevin Foley and one home player.

Earlier, he refereed the 2-1 defeat at Huddersfield in April 2015, in which he booked Tommy Smith, Christophe Berra and one Terrier, and the 3-0 Boxing Day 2013 victory at Doncaster, in which he yellow-carded just one Rovers player.

Squad From

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


TWTD



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Linkboy13 added 18:49 - Jan 15
Don't think Keiran McKenna will be making any decisions on the strength of the win against a very poor Bristol Rovers team.
2

victorysquad added 20:23 - Jan 15
We are going to smash them tomorrow night. Pedro misfiring, keep Rutter quiet, 3-0 town.
0

dirtydingusmagee added 21:30 - Jan 15
Results gone our way tonight, a win tomorrow would be massive , lets not blow it again please . COYB
6

Normandyblue added 21:56 - Jan 15
Every chance of getting a result tomorrow if we play with the usual conviction, build on the momentum from the last 3 games and the crowd gets behind the team. C O Y B
3

dirtydingusmagee added 22:01 - Jan 15
Fingers crossed and a prayer, COYB
1

algarvefan added 09:14 - Jan 16
A win would be really good tonight with Man City then Liverpool coming up, we must start winning more games and putting points on the board. COYB.
3

ArnieM added 16:32 - Jan 16
McKenna said exactly the same thing when we played them at their place. Didn't do too bad did we! Aim for a win tonight
1

IpswichT62OldBoy added 17:19 - Jan 16
We keep improving and learning, our bench has become very impressive, I think we win this game, 2 0
1

dirtydingusmagee added 17:53 - Jan 16
3 points tonight will gives an air pocket to breath in with difficult games coming up coyb
1

Leejames99 added 18:31 - Jan 16
Burns in starting 11 instead of Godfery, must be putting him in shop window tonight, he is not close to as good as Godfery or Johnson, every time he tried cross on Sunday 80% hit Fulham player, great team aside that shock. Maybe he have a good game, he played okay vs Chelsea.

Glad Morsy on bench, be hard for him to get back in now.

COYB
3 points tonight
0

Leejames99 added 18:34 - Jan 16
Oh Burns is on right wing, that I do not get surely be stronger Hutchinson on right, Broadhead in 10 and J Clarke on left, roll on Phillogene, in Mckenna we trust but I'm bit perplexed at that.
COYB
1

blueboy1981 added 18:50 - Jan 16
Three Points needed tonight with what lies ahead, put One Point will be better than nowt !
Go for it Boys !!
1

blueboy1981 added 18:57 - Jan 16
Portman Road needs to be ROCKING tonight ! - let’s make sure the Noise raises the Roof.
Tonight is ‘the Night’ for the Team and Crowd to make a Statement !!
Will both be up for it ?? - let’s hope so.
1


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