Town host Tottenham Hotspur, the club where manager Kieran McKenna was a young player and coach, at Portman Road on Saturday aiming to record their first double of the season and only their second home win of the campaign.

The Blues go into the weekend having climbed to 18th via last week’s battling 10-man 1-1 draw at Aston Villa, Axel Tuanzebe having been harshly dismissed for two bookable offences five minutes before half-time.

A win would take them above Wolves if the Old Gold don’t take anything from their game at AFC Bournemouth, which is being played at the same time.

Leicester, 19th, behind Town on goal difference, were beaten 4-0 at home by Brentford on Friday evening.

Despite having picked up a vital point at Villa last week, the Blues are still the only club without a win in the Premier League in 2025.

McKenna was with Tottenham from 2002, when he moved over from Northern Ireland as a young midfielder, until 2016 having progressed through the academy coaching ranks to U18s coach when he took on a similar role at Manchester United.

The Blues boss was asked whether it is special to be welcoming a club which means so much to him to Portman Road.

“To be honest, my focus 100 per cent is on the game, I’ve not given it a lot of thought in that context,” he insisted.

“We played them earlier in the season, so that was a really nice one, the first time going back there as a manager having been back there as a coach. But this is all about Ipswich Town and a big game for us in the Premier League.

“Of course, bringing Tottenham to Portman Road is fantastic for the club from where it was a few years ago and it’s got the makings of a really good game, but on a personal note, this is the next game for us, the next challenge and that where my focus is.”

In November, McKenna recorded his first win as a Premier League manager and the club’s first for 22 years at Tottenham and he admitted that was particularly pleasing that it was there rather than against any other club.

“Truthfully, yes, it was, to be fair,” he admitted. “It was a special win, mostly because it was our first win in the Premier League.

“Secondly because it was against a big Premier League club, who at that point had a very, very good home record and a formidable side and a fantastic stadium.

“And on a personal note, it was a really nice moment, a really proud moment. One that when I’m older and greyer than I am now I’ll look back on with pride.

“But my thoughts going into this one aren’t too much around any history or anything like that, it’s just getting ready for the challenge ahead and facing a good Premier League side on Saturday and giving the best of ourselves.”

Spurs were one of two clubs Town did the double over in their last Premier League season prior to this one, 2001/02, along with Derby County, while it was pointed out that only two newly promoted clubs have doubled Tottenham in the Premier League era.

“Good stat,” McKenna laughed. “The first result was incredible. We can’t play it down, it was a top, top result. I know Tottenham have had a difficult couple of months since then, but we faced a really strong Tottenham team at their stadium at a moment when they were in good form and if they had won they would have gone third in the league.

“For a newly promoted team to win games in the Premier League is really tough, to beat a team of Tottenham’s ilk is a big one across the course of the season and if we can manage to do it again, it would be absolutely fantastic.

“But we know they’re going to be desperate for the points as well. I think they certainly respected us in the first game but their players will have the pride bit as well, that they’re going to want to make sure they get the result this time.

“We know we can take some belief from the first game but in some ways it makes it an even bigger challenge and that’s what we have to try and rise to.”

Tottenham are currently 12th in the Premier League, six places and 13 points ahead of the Blues.

Spurs have won their last two Premier League matches, a 1-0 win at home to Manchester United - who Town travel to face on Wednesday - at Old Trafford last Saturday after a 2-0 win at Brentford.

Between those two victories, they were defeated 4-0 at Liverpool in the Carabao Cup semi-final second leg, having led 1-0 from the first, then three days later were knocked out of the FA Cup after a 2-1 loss at Aston Villa. Meanwhile, they progressed to the knockout stage of the Europa League by finishing fourth in the group.

But prior to the Brentford and Manchester United victories, they had lost four on the bounce in the Premier League and had gone seven without a win, losing six.

They have won only three of their last 13 Premier League matches from the Blues’ 2-1 win in North London in November onwards.

On the road this season, Spurs have won four, drawn one and lost seven. Despite that indifferent record, only three sides - Crystal Palace, Arsenal and Manchester United - have conceded fewer goals away. Six sides have scored more than their 21 goals on their travels.

The Blues boss was asked whether he might have preferred to face Spurs a few weeks ago when they had one or two more players out injured - Brennan Johnson, James Maddison, Wilson Odobert, Destiny Udogie and Guglielmo Vicario have all recently returned to action - and hadn’t made the January additions of forward Mathys Tel on loan from Bayern Munich, central defender Kevin Danso on the same basis from Lens in France and keeper Antonin Kinsky from Slavia Prague on a permanent basis.

“It is a reality that over the course of the season sometimes there are better times to play teams and not so good times,” McKenna continued.

“As I’ve said, one is when you’re playing teams who are playing Thursday night European football. You want to play them on that week because that is a tough challenge and pretty much every team, every year finds that a challenge.

“Other than that, our mindset is always that we’re going to face the very, very best version of the opponent, that we can’t control how they are.

“A couple of weeks ago, their squad was really, really thin and they were playing weekend, midweek, weekend, midweek for a very long period of time.

“They’ve now had new players in, players back and a couple of weeks’ training, so I’m sure the message in their camp will be that they’re feeling better and they’re going to come here and try and deliver a top performance.

“That’s what we always prepare for. You’d certainly be on the wrong track if you were going into any game at this level expecting the opponent being anything less than their best.

“We’re expecting to face a really strong Tottenham and that’s a great challenge for us. All we can control is making sure that they face a really, really strong Ipswich Town, an Ipswich Town in a fantastic and a hostile for the opponent atmosphere at Portman Road and show the best side of ourselves, and then let’s see where it takes us.”

Might striker Liam Delap, who bagged his 10th goal of the season at Villa last week, see an opportunity with Tottenham’s returning and new players perhaps not up to speed?

“I think Liam sees every game as an opportunity, as the rest of the team do as well,” McKenna said. “Scoring last weekend with a really well taken finish has given him a good boost and he’s looking forward to the game, as is the rest of the group.”


Tottenham boss Ange Postecoglou came under pressure following his side’s poor form and McKenna was asked whether he has sympathy for the Australian.

“He certainly doesn’t need that from me,” he responded. “He’s done brilliantly in his career with the progression that he’s had. He’s an excellent manager and he’s gone through a spell where they’ve had a lot of injuries and some challenges.

“We all know that that comes at some point for any team, for any manager and I think he’s handled that situation well and I’m sure they’ll be looking to pick up form in the months ahead and we’ve got to try and make sure that doesn’t continue on Saturday.”

McKenna is looking for his team to make a fast start with Spurs taking the same approach whether on their own turf or on their travels.

“You always want a good start at home, so we have to go for that,” he said. “Tottenham always go for a fast start as well, home or away they always go for a fast start and look to impose themselves on the game.

“We need to make sure that we hit the intensity of the game first and foremost, try and impose ourselves on them in different ways, but also knowing that they’re a really, really dangerous team if you leave yourself too open.

“We have to get the right start, set the right tone for the game and, hopefully, carry it on for the 90 minutes.”

The Blues manager is anticipating an entertaining fixture: “I think both teams play really intense football. There are maybe more similarities to us last year, to be fair, in terms of their best form at the start of the season, where they were really taking the game to teams and really going out to outscore teams.

“We know for us this year, it’s a different challenge but I think both teams like to play with a really good intensity. Both teams work very, very hard, that’s for sure.

“I think there are going to be moments when we’ve got a really, really intense game on Saturday, but we also know that we need to manage the game well.

“For us this season, going hell for leather for 90 minutes against every opponent isn’t the right way to do it and we’ve got to find times where we play with a big intensity and take the challenge full on head to head and there are also times when we need to control the game in different ways.

“And I think Saturday is clearly one of those games where we need to find a balance between both of those modes.”

Having spent so long at Spurs there are a number of people still there from his time at the club, some of whom will be sitting on the opposition bench on Saturday.

“Lots of staff members, a couple of my best friends are on Ange’s staff as well, so we know their staff well and know the backroom staff well,” he said.

“Matt Wells, who is the assistant manager, and Rob Burch, the goalkeeper-coach, both who I played with at Tottenham and both who are dear friends.

“Always nice to see a few people who you know after the game. Hopefully they’ll be offering us the congratulations.”

The Team

McKenna will probably look to stick essentially to the side which performed so well at Villa last week but with one enforced change and options in a couple of areas.

Keeper Alex Palmer will make his home debut in goal having been outstanding against the Villans.

With Tuanzebe suspended, Ben Godfrey looks set to come in on the right of the defence with Dara O’Shea and Jacob Greaves to his left.

Leif Davis is fit again after a minor knock last week and will probably come back in at left-back, although with Conor Townsend having impressed in his absence. Ben Johnson seems likely to be on the right.

McKenna may again opt to start with Jens Cajuste and Kalvin Phillips in the centre of the midfield, despite skipper Sam Morsy having returned to training after his abdominal issue.

Omari Hutchinson is likely to be the right number 10 with McKenna having to choose between Nathan Broadhead and a fit-again Sammie Szmodics, who scored in the away game at Spurs, on the left. Delap, who netted the other goal that day, will be the out-and-out striker.

The Opposition

Spurs boss Postecoglou revealed at his press conference that new signing Danso, Heung-Min Son and Rodrigo Bentancur are all available for the trip to Suffolk, despite having picked up knocks during the victory over the Red Devils.

However, central defenders Cristian Romero (thigh), Micky van de Ven (hamstring) and Radu Dragusin (ACL), and forwards Dominic Solanke (knee) and Richarlison (calf) all remain on the injured list.

Postecoglou wants to build on the two wins on the trot in the Premier League and is looking up the table with a third of the season remaining.

“There’s still 12, 13 games to go and from our perspective, we’re not happy with where we are in the league, obviously, and our form has been very inconsistent,” he said.

“But there’s still an opportunity there to make an impact in the league as well [as the Europa League].

“The good thing now is we know sort of the programme roughly. Irrespective of what happens, there's some natural breaks in there which will help us.

“I think particularly with the injured guys coming back. So, yeah, a good sort of opportunity for us.”

Regarding Town, he added: “They’re a hard-working team. They’re very well organised. They managed the game really well against us. They obviously scored and got ahead and we found it really hard then.

“We had our moments to get back in the game, but we couldn’t. So it’s really important that we don't allow that to happen again.

“Like I said, we know they're going to work hard, they're going to be well organised, they're going to fight for everything. So we've got to be in a mindset to match that and at the same time still play our football. I think that's important.

“As I said last week, it was important we won. We played well, but I think there were areas where we know we can be better. That’s the opportunity for us tomorrow.”

History

Historically, Town have won 22 games between the teams (21 in the league) and Tottenham 24 (22) with eight ending in draws (eight).

The Blues have won the last four competitive matches between the teams with the Lilywhites having been victorious in the previous three.

At The Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in November, goals from Szmodics and Delap ended Town’s 8,236-day wait for a Premier League victory as the Blues beat Spurs 2-1 on McKenna’s first return to his old club as a manager.

Szmodics’s overhead kick gave the Blues the lead in the 31st minute, then Delap added the second on 43 as Town led at half-time for the first time this season on their inaugural competitive visit to the Tottenham’s new ground.

Bentacur pulled a goal back on 69 with a header but the Blues held on to claim a vital first win of the season and climb out of the relegation zone.

The teams last met at Portman Road in January 2002 when a late John McGreal headed goal gave Town the points as they defeated Spurs 2-1 and claimed a double over the North Londoners.

A second-half Gus Poyet goal looked to have won the visitors a point, Marcus Bent having put Town ahead in the first half of an entertaining and open game.

Familiar Faces

Town boss McKenna was an academy midfielder with Tottenham but was forced to retire at 22 due to a hip injury before making a first-team appearance. He began coaching in the Spurs youth set-up, progressing to the U18s before moving on to Manchester United, ending 14 years at the club.

Winger Jack Clarke was with Spurs between July 2019 and July 2022 following an £8,500,000 move from Leeds. However, he made only four cup sub appearances for the Lilywhites.

Blues midfielder Massimo Luongo came through the Spurs youth set-up, during which time he made one senior sub appearance and spent his first spell on loan with Town. Luongo also played 32 Australia internationals under Postecoglou during his time as Socceroos’ boss.

Town’s head of player and coaching development Bryan Klug worked at Tottenham’s academy between 2010 and 2012 and was assistant academy manager when he opted to return to Playford Road as academy director.

The Blues’ head of athletic performance, Matt Allen, joined the club from Spurs in the summer of 2023.

Tottenham forward Dane Scarlett was on loan with the Blues in the second half of last season, making 12 sub appearances without scoring.

Official

Saturday’s referee is Tim Robinson, his assistants Simon Long and Steve Meredith, and the fourth official David Webb. The VAR official will be Chris Kavanagh and his assistant Tim Wood.

West Sussex-based Robinson will be making his first visit to Portman Road since taking charge of the Leicester City match in November.

During the Foxes’ visit, the Blues, then 1-0 in front, were denied a penalty when Conor Chaplin was clearly fouled inside the area by Abdul Fatawu.

VAR opted not to overturn the penalty decision, despite the official appearing to have been unsighted when the incident took place, and to add insult to injury Phillips was harshly dismissed for a second bookable offence in the aftermath.

The game eventually ended 1-1 with the visitors levelling in the fourth minute of injury time. In addition to Phillips’s two yellow cards, Robinson booked Cajuste, Chaplin, Aro Muric, George Hirst and two Foxes.

Robinson was also in charge of the 2-0 home defeat to Liverpool on the opening day when he booked Wes Burns, Luke Woolfenden, Hutchinson and one of the visitors.

Prior to that, the former PE teacher’s last Town match was the 2-1 home victory over Shrewsbury in November 2020 in which he cautioned only last-minute goalscorer Jack Lankester.

He was also in the middle for the away game at Sheffield United on the penultimate weekend of the 2018/19 season in which he yellow-carded Alan Judge and no one else as the Blades beat the Blues 2-0 to secure promotion.

Prior to that he was in the middle for the 1-1 draw with Villa at Portman Road in August 2019 in which he harshly red-carded loanee Tayo Edun on his Blues full league debut for two bookable offences, as well as cautioning Janoi Donacien and two visitors.

Robinson also refereed the 1-0 home defeat to Norwich City in October 2017 in which he cautioned only Luke Chambers, Flynn Downes and Jordan Spence.

A month earlier Robinson officiated during the 5-2 thrashing of Sunderland in which he booked Tristan Nydam and three Wearsiders.

Before that he took charge of 2017/18’s 1-0 opening day victory over Birmingham City when he yellow-carded Spence and one visitor.

The season before that he officiated in the 3-1 home win against Newcastle United in which he cautioned McGoldrick, Tom Lawrence and one Magpie.

Robinson also refereed Town’s 1-0 success at Villa in February 2017, in which he booked only Jonas Knudsen and Toumani Diagouraga, and the 1-0 victory over Preston at Portman Road in August 2016, in which he cautioned Cole Skuse and one visiting player.

Prior to that he was in charge of the 1-0 win at Derby on the final day of 2015/16 and yellow-carded skipper Chambers, Adam McDonnell and two Rams.

Before that, he took control of the 2-1 home victory over Reading in February 2016 in which he booked Christophe Berra and two visiting players.

Robinson’s only other competitive Town game was the 2-0 home defeat to Middlesbrough in December 2015 in which he again cautioned Berra and two visitors.

Squad From

Palmer, Muric, Slicker, Davis, Townsend, Johnson, Godfrey, O’Shea, Woolfenden, Burgess, Greaves, Morsy, Cajuste, Phillips, Luongo, Taylor, Chaplin, Hutchinson, Philogene, J Clarke, Szmodics, Broadhead, Delap, Hirst.

TWTD

Karlosfandangal added 19:36 - Feb 21 I really don’t mind Town going down as I feel a season at a lower level will help the team develop better than the high pressure of the Prem. However how many of those player will Town keep If Town can get 4 wins which is possible it might just be enough……fingers crossed
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blueboy1981 added 20:01 - Feb 21 Right, it’s time to Stop the Talk, and Walk the Walk - if we want to avoid the drop back again. Relegation could very easily mean a disaster for the Club, but what is certain is that it will mean disruption and change. We now need to ensure that is avoided - that means a WINNING mindset from All from now. Out you come Kids with your Down Marks. BUT - don’t under estimate the effects of RELEGATION, and the threat of that !

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Leejames99 added 20:09 - Feb 21 I dont think Johnson and Godfrey will play it be either of them I think with Probaly Davis back although I think Townsend would be better vs Spurs as they are so quick on break and Davis doesn't want to attack and we have an abundance of multi million pound left wingers but let's see, be a shame for Townsend if he dropped and we tinker too much yet again. Spurs play 4-2-3-1 so if we go head to head Woolfeden starts in back 4 for me In my opinion Palmer O'Shea C Greaves Woolfeden Townsend Phillips Cajuste Phillogene Hutchinson Szmodicks Delap

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Leejames99 added 20:23 - Feb 21 I dont think Johnson and Godfrey will play it be neither of them I think with Probaly Davis back although I think Townsend would be better vs Spurs as they are so quick on break and Davis doesn't want to attack and we have an abundance of multi million pound left wingers but let's see, be a shame for Townsend if he dropped and we tinker too much yet again. Spurs play 4-2-3-1 so if we go head to head Woolfeden starts in back 4 for me In my opinion Palmer O'Shea C Greaves Woolfeden Townsend Phillips Cajuste Phillogene Hutchinson Szmodicks Delap @blueboy1981 I don't know why you think relegation means upheaval? And all our players and new signings go, the best of the Championship were bought with the future and the very real possibility of relegation even at start season, these players all signed 4 or 5 year contracts and I don't think Ipswich Town would of been putting relegation clauses in contracts as we have no right to even be in Prem yet but we are but if not us who goes down instead, looks like Wolves l, us or Leicester but someone can still go on a good run and vice versa so it's all to play for and you are right in that we have to win some games but I'm not worried for relegation, i think the only player we will lose is maybe Delap but even he may not want to go and sit on a bench and would hope he is sold in the future plans bit what is for sure is we will get 40 million for him from City so we double our money and im pretty sure we can get another top striker for 20 million, aside Delap the rest stay except obvs the league 1 guys will go, new midfielders in. I think we can stay up and I hope we do as I think we could really grow but we need consistency and experience now. COYB

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SuperTabby added 20:58 - Feb 21 Leejames, he’s not going to play O’Shea at right back, and I expect if Davis is 100% he’ll start. I also think Godfrey will come in for Axel, no idea who will come in for Enciso. You can make an argument for Clarke, Broady or Szmodics (if 100%). Either way, McKenna completely outdid Ange last time, we were very good value for that 2-1 win. But this is the premier league so it’s not going to be easy, Spurs have picked up a bit of late and will very much expect to win this one. If PR is loud and we get something early, then I fancy our chances for the three points. COYB

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Leejames99 added 21:30 - Feb 21 @supertabby Why wouldn't O'shea play on right wasn't he there vs Villa in 2nd half? O'Shea right, Greaves and Woolfeden middle and Townsend left? You probaly right Mckenna started with 5-4-1 last week But Spurs play 4-2-3-1 which with Spence and Son on left and Poro and Kuleveski on right and pace is quick as you know who knows what Mckenna will do he changes every week, if previous matches anything to go by he probs start Davis, Chaplin, Morsy and Broadhead but I hope we match Spurs as you say Godfrey in for Tunazabe and I think Phillogene might come in for Enciso maybe Szmodicks instead of Johnson play 4-2-3-1 Be a good game

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SuperTabby added 22:36 - Feb 21 We ended up with a 531 after Axel got sent off really, Johnson was acting as a RWB and O’Shea a right centre back. Started with Axel as rb/rcb with O’Shea more centrally. As you’ve said though, we mix it up every week. Sometimes it’s tactical, more often than not it’s been due to injuries. I’d also quite like us to go 4231, but that would likely mean dropping Johnson who isn’t effective as a rb in a back 4. In any case, I’m more confident for this one as Ange is tactically very inflexible, and McKenna will know exactly how we need to set up to win, it will be on the players to be able to carry it out.

2

bobble added 06:23 - Feb 22 The data says we have 66% chance of getting something from this, as spurs have only won 33% of their away games......close win or draw for town....
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BlueSkies added 10:54 - Feb 22 Lee James Do you keep an eye on what's going on in the Championship? Luton are the very reason we could suffer if we went down.
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Marinersnose added 11:33 - Feb 22 Spurs and Man Utd are two huge clubs but neither are performing atm which draws them into our mini league of teams we need to beat. Having watched the away game we worked so hard to win I feel it will take another performance with high work rate and intensity to beat Spurs. Hopefully the crowd will be a little more relaxed after the excellent result at Villa, as for me PR feels very tense. The players look more comfortable away from home. Let’s give it our best shot. Leicester have capitulated so we need to better Wolves.

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ImAbeliever added 11:49 - Feb 22 2002 .. 2025, totally different.
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TimmyH added 11:54 - Feb 22 Have to beat Tottenham, they've been poor alongside their injury woes this season (as we have)...this game is more important to us than them.
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Leejames99 added 12:27 - Feb 22 @blueskies Yes I do keep an eye on Championship, we are a very different beast to Luton, they didn't spend much for Prem, the well travelled Townsend and Barkley. They didn't have structure in place like Town and I also think they were premature in sacking tgeir manager, the team i do look at is Leeds its taken them a couple of seasons to probaly get back but like this season the gap now is huge so I think the talent and assets we bought and had has been pretty shrewd as relegation has to of been considered and when you watched the cup game vs Coventry we tore them to bits really, I do get what your saying but I think the signings we made were 2 fold firstly the cream if Championship with best sell on potential and to build into a quality team (which a season in Championship do them good) but also a team who could bring us back up if we go down or can develop to have stability in Prem league with new signings if we stay up. I really think we would only possibly lose Delap and Davis if we go down (or even if we stay up possibly) but any money for those two will be huge profit to recruit again. I think we can stay up if we just pick up points as much as we can keep draws or leads and not capitulate in the last half hour. Fitness, experience and continuity is key now and only making subs where needed. Looking forward to todays game just dreading Morsy on team sheet. COYB

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Ebantiass added 12:34 - Feb 22 I believe going down would be a disaster, but not fatal. I hope obviously we stay up but we have to be realistic as we have giftted far too many games thus far. COME ON YOU BLUES
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Leejames99 added 13:55 - Feb 22 Yes, at last, great starting 11, defensive quality and attacking prowess, the only worry is Davis making sure he stays back or gets back because Jack Clarke can cross equally well. Feel for Townsend but glad Morsy not starting, hope Cajuste and Phillips can play 90 mins. Exciting team COYB
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