Please log in or register. Registered visitors get fewer ads.
Ipswich Town 1 v 2 Southampton
FA Premier League
Saturday, 1st February 2025 Kick-off 15:00
Ipswich Town 1-2 Southampton - Match Report
Saturday, 1st Feb 2025 17:11

Town’s hopes of staying in the Premier League suffered a significant blow after they were defeated 2-1 at Portman Road by rock-bottom Southampton, the Saints’ first away league win this season and only their second in the league. Joe Aribo gave the visitors the lead against the run of play in the 21st minute but Liam Delap levelled for the Blues 10 minutes later with his ninth of the season. Town had a number of chances to go in front but were unable to take them and were made to pay three minutes from time when Paul Onuachu stabbed home a rebound.

The Blues made four changes from the team which lost 4-1 at Liverpool last week with Aro Muric, Jens Cajuste and Nathan Broadhead returning to the XI and Julio Enciso making his full debut.

Muric took over in goal from Christian Walton, who suffered a groin injury at Anfield last week having started the last five matches, with Cieran Slicker the sub keeper.

Cajuste came back into central midfield alongside skipper Sam Morsy, who was making his 150th start for the club, with Kalvin Phillips on the bench.

Ensico, who came off the bench at Liverpool last week and whose corner led to Jacob Greaves’s late goal, was in the centre of the three behind Liam Delap with Omari Hutchinson on the right and Nathan Broadhead on the left.

Ben Johnson and Jaden Philogene were among the subs having started last week, while Wes Burns is out for the season having suffered an ACL injury.

Southampton gave debuts to January signings Welington, a Brazilian left-back, and Danish international midfielder Albert Gronbaek, while England keeper Aaron Ramsdale was back in goal with ex-Blues loanee Alex McCarthy dropping to the bench.

Another former loanee, James Bree, started for the Saints, but there was no place for Flynn Downes in the squad. Jack Stephens, Tyler Dibling and Kamaldeen Sulemana were all on the bench after returning from injury.

The Blues started on the front foot with Enciso and Delap both involved and on five the Paraguayan international won a corner on the left with a shot which deflected wide. The on-loan Brighton man took the flag-kick himself, Dara O’Shea heading back from deep but Saints keeper Ramsdale claimed the looping ball.

Town continued to see all the ball with the visitors struggling to get out of their half, Taylor Harwood-Bellis passing twice passing straight out of play under no pressure.

On 10, the busy Enciso shot low to Ramsdale’s left after winning the ball back not far outside the area but the keeper was able to save with little fanfare.

The Blues had maintained their dominance and Southampton had shown virtually nothing as an attacking force but on 21 the visitors went in front.

Kyle Walker-Peters was given space on the right and played a ball ahead for Mateus Fernandes. Greaves’s heel diverted Fernandes’s cross to Joe Aribo on the penalty spot and the Nigeria international hit a shot towards goal which Muric bundled into the net with his right hand. That the keeper felt he should have done better was clear from his reaction.

Town set about getting back on terms, Hutchinson making a burst towards the area before being felled by Harwood-Bellis only for referee Michael Oliver to wave away the protests, much to the annoyance of the home support.

On 24, Hutchinson sent over a ball from the right, Broadhead nodded down and Delap hooked the ball only just over.

As the game approached the half hour, Enciso broke past a number of Southampton players before feeding Leif Davis, whose cross clearly struck Walker-Peters on an outstretched arm. Referee Oliver again irked the Town fans by waving away protests and VAR evidently agreed with him.

But the Blues support didn’t have to wait too much longer for an equaliser. In the 31st minute, Broadhead dug out a pass on halfway, Delap’s pace saw him beat Saints skipper Jan Bednarek to the ball and through one-on-one with Ramsdale, who he confidently beat to his left.


Delap’s ninth goal for the Blues lifted the roof off a previously nervous and frustrated Portman Road, but was well deserved on the balance of the game.

Two minutes after levelling, Town should have gone in front. Delap sent Broadhead away towards the left and the Wales international took it on into the area before attempting to chip Ramsdale, who saved with his chest. The loose ball fell back to Broadhead at a tight angle but he was unable to make anything of the second opportunity.

Southampton created a chance in the 36th minute, Welington crossing and 6ft 7in tall striker Onuachu nodded straight at Muric, who claimed.

Four minutes later, there was a huge cheer from the Town support after referee Oliver showed the game’s first yellow card to Welington for a foul on Axel Tuanzebe not far outside the area, a number of earlier caution-worthy challenges from Saints players having gone unpunished.

Enciso took the free-kick and sent a low effort past the wall to the right but into the side-netting.

On 44, Cajuste did well to clear the danger with Fernandes threatening to find a way through the Town backline.

A minute later, Morsy sent Hutchinson away on the right, the former Chelsea man cutting in but shooting straight at Ramsdale.

Two minutes into three additional minutes, the Blues should have taken the lead. Hutchinson crossed from the right, the ball reached Broadhead, who took too many touches before hitting a shot which was blocked. A first-time strike would probably have seen the Wales international, who was only eight yards out, celebrating his first Premier League goal.

That was the last action of a half which the Blues had controlled throughout aside from a couple of Southampton attacks.

Town had started positively, with the enthusiastic Enciso causing the visitors plenty of problems, although without creating any serious chances, before the Saints scored via their first attack, a goal which the Blues defence and keeper Muric won’t want to watch back.

As has so often been the case under Kieran McKenna’s management, going behind didn’t appear to impact Town too much and it took only 10 minutes for the equaliser, created well by Broadhead and finished confidently by Delap.

From there, the Broadhead had had two chances to put his side in front but perhaps showed his lack of recent goals with his finishes.

The visitors made a change ahead of the second half, Harwood-Bellis, who had looked out of sorts throughout the first period and had picked up a knock towards the end, making way for club captain Stephens, returning to the team for the first time since December 4th.

In the 53rd minute, Delap was blocked off by Bednarek inside the box, the Town striker claiming a penalty but referee Oliver showing no interest.

The former Manchester City man was still down in the area holding his face as play continued with the Blues still in possession. Eventually, with Delap now on his feet, Hutchinson played a pass across the edge of the area to Davis, who laid back to Cajuste, but the Swedish international’s shot flew well over.

Visitors’ half-time sub Stephens lasted only 11 minutes, taking his leave on 56 having picked up a niggle and Will Smallbone taking over.

Just before the hour, Enciso went close to putting Town in front. Greaves nodded Cajuste’s long throw from the left back from the near post and Delap stabbed it out to the Paraguayan, whose effort wafted just past the angle of post and bar.

Southampton subsequently had a spell on the ball, Bree shooting wide from the edge off Davis.

From the corner, the ball found Aribo in space but the midfielder sent the ball well wide, the ball almost falling for a teammate on the byline to the left before the danger was cleared.

The Blues broke immediately through Ensico and Hutchinson, the latter crossing for Broadhead but the Wales international couldn’t get it under control and the ball bounced through to Ramsdale. That was Broadhead’s last involvement with Philogene taking over.

In the 65th minute, Delap brought the ball in from the left before mis-hitting a shot well wide. Five minutes later, the visitors swapped debutant Gronbaek for Sulemana.

On 71, Delap muscled his way around the outside of Bednarek before shooting from a tight angle when there were options in the middle and Ramsdale saved.

Moments later, Cajuste was sent flying in the middle 10 yards outside the area. Morsy took a quick free-kick, Bednarek clattered into Delap as the Town striker turned, but the Blues kept playing and Enciso’s shot failed to trouble Ramsdale.

Bednarek was eventually booked in the 74th minute for hauling over Delap five yards outside the area. Davis’s free-kick struck the top of the wall.

Town were by now completely dominant, Davis crossing from the left and then Philogene from the right with the Blues encamped in the Saints half.

The Blues swapped Cajuste, again one of Town’s key men, for Jack Taylor, before there was a hold-up in play as Ramsdale was treated.

Soon after, Sulemana made a pacy run into the area on the left but Tuanzebe kept up with him and forced him off the ball.

Welington underwent treatment and eventually made way for Yukinari Sugawara with Lesley Ugochukwu also coming off and Adam Lallana, who played for the Saints U18s in the 2005 FA Youth Cup final at Portman Road as the Blues won the trophy, took over.

Town’s impetus had been halted by all the stoppages and they were struggling to put attacks together and in the 87th minute the Saints went back in front.

Aribo fed Sulimana down the left, the sub cutting in and hitting a low shot which Muric saved down to his right. However, the Kosovan keeper could only palm it out and Onuachu beat Greaves to the loose ball and stabbed into the net to send the away fans to his left into raptures.

Town swapped Enciso and Davis for George Hirst and Jack Clarke for the final three scheduled minutes plus eight in additional time.

The Blues huffed and puffed in the closing minutes but without creating a significant opportunity and it was the visitors’ fans cheering at the whistle and muted boos from the Town supporters.

A big blow for the Blues as they battle relegation with the games against those around them towards the bottom of the division matches which it is far more important to win than those against the likes of Liverpool and Manchester City, who beat them in previous weeks.

Town will rue missing opportunities in the first half, the otherwise excellent Broadhead having two chances that he probably would have taken in his pomp in the last two seasons, while Enciso and Delap may feel they should have done better with second half opportunities, although Ramsdale wasn’t as tested as he should have been after the break.

Enciso, Hutchinson and Philogene after he came on caused problems with their running with the ball but all too often kept hold of it too long when they might have moved it on to teammates.

Southampton, whose last away win was at Leeds in the Championship in May and whose manager Ivan Juric is celebrating his first Premier League win, had one real chance in each half and scored from both of them with questions regarding the returning Muric on each of them, although Town never looked entirely comfortable at the back.

The result makes little difference to the Blues’ position as it stands, Leicester having lost 4-0 at Everton and Wolves in action at Villa later this evening, but losing to Southampton, who remain seven points behind second-bottom Town is a big blow both in terms of failing to take points and also psychologically.

Town: Muric, Tuanzebe, O’Shea, Greaves, Davis (J Clarke 87), Morsy (c), Cajuste (Taylor 77), Hutchinson, Enciso (Hirst 87), Broadhead (Philogene 64), Delap. Unused: Slicker, Johnson, Godfrey, Townsend, Phillips.

Southampton: Ramsdale, Walker-Peters, Harwood-Bellis (Stephens 46 (Smallbone 56)), Aribo, Bree, Fernandes, Ugochukwu (Lallana 82), Gronbaek (Sulemana 70), Onuachu, Welington (Sugawara 82), Bednarek (c). Unused: McCarthy, Armstrong, Dibling, Bella-Kotchap. Referee: Michael Oliver (Ashington). VAR: Jarred Gillett. Att: 29,902 (Southampton: 2,961).


Photo: Reuters



Please report offensive, libellous or inappropriate posts by using the links provided.



WizardNinja added 17:13 - Feb 1
Safe to say , think it's time Muric's contract is ripped up
43

oioihardy added 17:14 - Feb 1
We can't beat Southampton we don't deserve to stay in the prem . Simple as that
28

oioihardy added 17:14 - Feb 1
We can't beat Southampton we don't deserve to stay in the prem . Simple as that
3

CustardCream added 17:14 - Feb 1
That was awful.

That Southampton team is one of the worst ever to be in the premier league and we've bottled it against them at home.

Nobody playing well at the moment except Delap.

Omari, Enciso and Philogene really need to think about playing a pass occasionally. Decision making from them in good areas was woeful. They all seem to want to do it all themselves.

I think this highlights the need for premier league experience when a team comes up. The approach of signing young players with sell on value is great for the future but not fantastic for the present.

Feeling a bit hollow tonight
36

gkroon89 added 17:15 - Feb 1
Absolute shambles.

Muric the gift that keeps on giving. Watched the game and when Darren Ambrose turns round and says goalkeeping errors on both - says it all.

The Moyes effect in full swing at Everton.

Just hope Wolves don’t get anything from the Villa game.
17

bluebullet29l added 17:15 - Feb 1
Don't panic everyone..km said it wasn't a must win game.......
3

Paulc added 17:16 - Feb 1
Very disappointing for sure. Anyone thinking or saying on here we’re down now can do one as far as I am concerned. 14 games left 1 point off safety. That’s precisely why that was NOT a must win.
-13

grow_our_own added 17:16 - Feb 1
12m? McK is a great manager, and should remain relegation or not. But he failed to replace Hladky. As a lesser mistake, he failed to improve right wing-back. Unlucky with Ogbene injury, but Johnson wasn't an improvement. We now need the bottom four to be historically bad this season.
7

Saxonblue74 added 17:18 - Feb 1
Mckenna has to take full responsibility for that I'm afraid. Well on top and expecting the next goal, then along comes all the change.....why? Worst result of the season. Too early to call the end of the season, but a big blow for sure
14

Itfcsam27 added 17:19 - Feb 1
Muric again at fault, but then the rest of the team didn't exactly stop the goals, or make enough goals/opportunties to help us win/draw.
We have it in us to cause problems, and looked a bit better around 90 mins + but annoying it took that late to actually look threatening again.
Enciso looks hungry - a good loan signing.
I think we need another striker in to challenge Hirst at least for second striker, and in case of injuries to Delap/Hirst (Would not be good if that happened).
10

Saxonblue74 added 17:19 - Feb 1
Forget the Muric mistake, lots of chances missed at the other end which should have put the game to bed
10

ITFCSG added 17:20 - Feb 1
I don't want to see Muric in a Town shirt again. I'd send him on a one-way ticker to Serbia. If we had Ramsdale in goal we'd not have lost, worst GK ever in ITFC history. Rather go down playing Slicker in goal.
24

Gforce added 17:20 - Feb 1
Oh well,at least I'll get my parking space back next season, when all the fair weather fans disappear again!!
5

Gforce added 17:20 - Feb 1
Oh well,at least I'll get my parking space back next season, when all the fair weather fans disappear again!!
0

Alphawhiskey added 17:20 - Feb 1
Got what we deserved. Nothing!
Manager at fault.
How many more times do we have to watch that keeper make mistake after mistake.
If we do down, which I think we will now, it will be mostly down to that useless keeper and the person who decided to pay 8million for him!

Absolutely shocking!
Southampton are one of the worst teams in premier history and they just beat us at home!
We are awful
12

ipswichone added 17:20 - Feb 1
Its safe to say that muric's nickname is Jonah.basic goalkeeping skills needed too stop both Southampton goals.with Walton injured,we need a quick goalkeeper signing,because muric in goal rest of season spells relegation
5

Eeyore added 17:21 - Feb 1
Very unlucky. The boo boys should be ashamed. They can make way for those of us who couldnt get a ticket. Excellent team performance with an impressive debut from Encisco. Soton only had a couple of chances and benefitted from a couple of GK errors. Soton did work very very hard. But all Town players gave everything and showed we are a much higher quality team that Soton. It just happens like that sometimes. Plenty of games left. Leicester got thumped and hopefully Wolves will too. Don't pannick!
5

Eeyore added 17:21 - Feb 1
Very unlucky. The boo boys should be ashamed. They can make way for those of us who couldnt get a ticket. Excellent team performance with an impressive debut from Encisco. Soton only had a couple of chances and benefitted from a couple of GK errors. Soton did work very very hard. But all Town players gave everything and showed we are a much higher quality team that Soton. It just happens like that sometimes. Plenty of games left. Leicester got thumped and hopefully Wolves will too. Don't pannick!
3

Baino added 17:23 - Feb 1
Look, we're still in it. But only because we keep getting favours from other sides who play Wolves and Leicester! Others have made errors leading to goals that have cost us but that's football, and you learn from it.
Where as Muric has cost us so many points and he keeps doing it! Those points alone would have meant we would have had some breathing space and put pressure on Leicester and Wolves.
15

gippeswyk added 17:23 - Feb 1
Town deserved to win. More threatening, more quality, more attacks but poor finishing. Southampton had all the luck, Town had none. Town should have been out of sight instead of relying on Muric who has zero confidence.
8

martin587 added 17:23 - Feb 1
I’m lost for words.Where was the conviction today.The Boss says this was not a must win game well sorry but I disagree.Great manager but today I’m afraid he did not live up too expectations.If a team needed a lift it was today so who do we blame.We are now in a position where we have to rely on other teams.
I’m so disappointed and yes I didn’t expect us to rip this league up but I did expect better considering all the money spent.So we move on and pray we do better otherwise it’s a quick return to the championship.
6

rkl added 17:24 - Feb 1
McKenna bought the wrong goalkeeper in the summer unfortunately.

A solid goalkeeper breeds confidence throughout the team.
This was a must win, and he has cost us points again
34

BangaloreBlues added 17:24 - Feb 1
Oh dear...
I was firmly facing forward up until now.
Now my head's turned 90 degrees, half towards a local derby next season.
We need a miracle now, I think.
The sad thing is our position and points tally appears to be down to one player's dreadful errors.
Well, we're still not out of it, I guess, but that's an embarrassing score line.
14

Broadbent23 added 17:24 - Feb 1
That really hurt. Our tactics were so wrong. The scummers should have been beaten. The Referee didn't help . Muric had his usual poor performance. With their defenders dropping like flies we should have pressed more. In the first half our crowd was magnificent, not so good second half. Unfortunately this is not good for team morale hopefully with two weeks until Villa we need to get Smoddy back to fitness. Too many team rotations which are not doing us any favours. COYB. Believe in miracles.
6

dirtydingusmagee added 17:25 - Feb 1
We are not good enough for prem and thats that . Not going to play the blame game but just cant dominate or pressurise teams for any length of time Imo we have gne backwards from those opening games where we really gave it a go. Bad day day end of.
25


You need to login in order to post your comments

Blogs 298 bloggers

Ipswich Town Polls





About Us Contact Us Terms & Conditions Privacy Cookies Advertising
© TWTD 1995-2025