Town midfielder Jack Taylor insists the Blues will not change their approach as they bid to avoid an immediate return to the Championship this season.

Saturday’s 4-1 home defeat to Tottenham Hotspur, coupled with a victory for Wolverhampton Wanderers at Bournemouth, leaves Town five points adrift of safety with just 12 matches remaining.

The Blues are the only Premier League side yet to win in 2025 and have lost five of their last six league games as Kieran McKenna’s side travel to Manchester United on Wednesday looking for a fourth league win of the season.

Taylor knows Town are going to need to put a string of results together to give themselves a chance of survival, but is confident the group have what it takes to escape the drop.

“We always know that we need to get points quite sharpish because games are running out,” he said. “We’re not going to change the way we play, we’re still going to attack the game with everything we’ve got and hopefully it will be enough on Wednesday to start something.

“It’s easy for people to say it’s not working at the minute, but we’ve got goals that we’ve set that we’re ready to accomplish. If we stick by it I think we’ll get the result that we want.

“To be honest it was good in training today and everyone was back to normal. We always have that no matter the result, you come in on Monday morning with a fresh head and a clear mind onto a big game on Wednesday. Training was really good and the lads are ready to go again.

“Everyone is entitled to their own opinion but as long as we focus, no-one really knows what’s going on in our dressing room and we’re so positive. We’ll be ready for the coming games.

“There’s no point pointing fingers at all, at this stage of the season it’s not going to get you anywhere. We’re all going to be together so we’re ready.”

Asked what the biggest challenge of the Premier League so far has been, Taylor said: “The quality of opponent. On the ball is similar but there’s fine margins like on Saturday when we could have been 2-0 up in the first five minutes but they go down the other end and score, it’s that ruthless.

“That’s the biggest part, the attacking threat from every single side in the league is electric and they're so clinical. That’s probably the biggest point.”

Taylor’s journey to the Premier League has not been linear, the midfielder having climbed the divisions with Barnet and Peterborough United before arriving at Portman Road.

The 26-year-old was able to fulfil his ambition of playing in the top flight for the first time earlier this campaign, while he joined an exclusive list of players to have scored in England’s top five tiers when netting the late winner at Wolves in December.

“I didn’t have a clue until someone tweeted me after the game,” he said. “It wasn’t something that I set a goal for, I always wanted to reach the highest level I could play at. Thankfully I’m here as a Premier League footballer and I’ve ticked all those boxes, it’s a great achievement.

“At the start of the season [you reflect], you’re trying to tick boxes with first appearance, start and goal. But it just gets to a point where you’re ready now, you’re living in it so you need to be the best you can be and show to everyone that you can compete at the level.

“To be sat here now as a Premier League football player, when I first signed I didn’t really imagine that it could have gone any better. I’m so happy to be here and I think I’ve become a better player working under the boss so it’s been good.”

The winner at Molineux could prove to be one of the most important goals of the season, with Taylor rising highest to meet Jack Clarke’s corner in stoppage time to earn the Blues only their second victory of the campaign.

“It was the most perfect way I could score my first Premier League goal, a 93rd minute winner,” Taylor admitted. “I was delighted to get that win and I said to the lads after the game that we need more of these moments for the rest of the season to achieve what we want to achieve.

“I’m always priding myself on trying to find a goal from midfield and be the spare man running into the box. I’ll always step up but I think everyone’s got to have that in them now because we’re going to need it.

“When I scored my goals at Barnet in the National League there seemed to be three or four 25-yarders out there. I’ll always back myself from range.”

With there being less than a month to go until the next international break, Taylor will be hoping for recognition from Republic of Ireland boss Heimir Hallgrímsson.

The Hammersmith-born midfielder knows the importance of the run-in following that period away from club football, signalling the importance of having a fully focused squad.

He said: “It’s completely different when you go away, it’s like a little break away from your club so it’s a mental refresh for everyone when you come back from internationals.
“Even when you stay here, you’ll get a couple more days off so it’s a complete refresh for the team so I think it will be really important this time coming.

“You want to perform on the international stage but you know in the back of your mind that you’ve got to be ready and fit for your club. Especially for the run-in the timing of this window is going to be really important to make sure everyone comes back fit and healthy.”

Next on the list of achievements for Taylor to complete is his first international start, with his long-awaited debut coming in October from the bench.

“I’m hoping that I get called up and I can get my first start for them, that would be another box ticked for the season so I’m looking forward to it,” he said.

“I came on at Greece away and it was a really hostile game to come onto, we were 1-0 down so we were chasing it a little bit. I thought I did quite well when I came on, obviously it was a tough place to go. I’m looking forward to embedding myself so my teammates get to know me a little bit better.

“I know the manager's been to a couple of games before. I’m pretty sure he’ll be keeping tabs because Szmods [Sammie Szmodics] and DOS [Dara O’Shea] have been playing.”

The Boys in Green have been placed in a World Cup qualifying group with Hungary, Armenia and one of Portugal or Denmark, with those matches set to commence later this year.

Taylor said: "They haven’t qualified for the World Cup for years now so it would be such a milestone for the country and it would be another box ticked if one day I could play at the World Cup.”

TWTD

Bert added 13:43 - Feb 25 Sticking to principles that work is fine but when we are leaking goals adjustments are required. We are not the worst team in the PL and our general play is entertaining but we cannot keep being exposed as we were on Saturday. The club and its supporters should be proud of what has been achieved in our reborn club but never too proud to ring the changes.
16

EuanTown added 13:48 - Feb 25 Well make sure we don't tell manure, otherwise that will give them a pre match advantage as to how we are going to play.
2

cressi added 14:11 - Feb 25 Relegation bound then Jack 14 goals conceded in last 4 home games.
1

SickParrot added 14:35 - Feb 25 A few tweeks might give us a better chance of getting a few more points. Maybe start by not having a left back who is always ahead of the ball!
3

ITFCSG added 15:05 - Feb 25 Doing the same thing over again over again and getting 3 wins all season is suicidal, Jack. Nothing to lose might as well go all out and try something different?
3

Edmundo added 15:22 - Feb 25 The strategy is the same. The tactics will always vary: in KM we trust.
1

bluebullet29l added 15:31 - Feb 25 Well we are definitely going down then....
-3

bluebullet29l added 15:34 - Feb 25 The facts are km is one of the worst performing managers in the Premier league. That is the cold hard facts.
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Linkboy13 added 16:24 - Feb 25 No manager would get a tune out of this poor squad and to be fair McKenna over achieved getting us out of the championship. Do people honestly believe if we had Pep Guardiola in charge he would transform us into world beaters he wouldn't even take the job on unless he had 500million pounds to spend. I'm certain if McKenna had a decent squad of players at his disposal he would still do a good job. Finishing second from bottom would be an over achievement to many people on here living in a fantasy world.

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Steve_ITFC_Sweden added 17:07 - Feb 25 Generally, I think we have performed well given the level of talent we have at our disposal. I do agree with many that I'd like to see Davis at mid-left, with someone else filling in the defensive duty at left back. A midfield of Davis, Phillips, Cajuste, and A N Other if playing four, should be quite decent.
6

Eeyore added 22:10 - Feb 25 Some really negative rubbish under this story. Am I on the wrong site? You wanted the premier league. Well here we are. Enjoy it.
4

Lightningboy added 12:36 - Feb 26 The play has become far too ponderous & passive as the season has gone on...we waste far too much time f4nnying around in our own 18 yard box - which is supposed to draw the opposition forward but all it seems to do is give the opposition time to get back into position whilst we lose it (dangerously) or end up lumping it aimlessly up to the halfway line. We waste so much time & energy just getting the ball into the other half...the fast attacking football we we've played over the last 3 years has gone out of the window...i'm not sure what the hell we're trying to do anymore.

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churchmans added 21:39 - Feb 26 Going to have to change the way we play if we want any hope of staying up im afraid
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