Town midfielder Azor Matusiwa knows promotion to the Premier League is in the Blues’ hands after claiming a third win on the bounce in Tuesday’s 1-0 home success against Hull City.

Having started all but one Championship match this season, Matusiwa finally struck his first goal for the club in fine fashion, lashing into the top corner from outside the box to maintain pace with the division’s top two.

Town moved back up to third and within three points of second-placed Middlesbrough, who have still played a game more than Kieran McKenna’s side.

With the Blues holding a superior goal difference and still to face Boro at Portman Road, Matusiwa insists that the squad are focusing only on their own results.

“It was a game in hand and we managed to win it,” he said. “We’re getting closer to the first two places, the place that we want to end and everyone knows this.

“It’s good that we put the pressure on the clubs above us, but we have everything in our own hands. We have to be focused on our own games. As long as we do our jobs, we win games and that should not be a problem.

“It’s easier to say than to do it, we are looking at it game by game. Last week we did a good job, the week before we also did a good job. It’s up to us to continue like this, keep improving, keep winning games, and be consistent in big moments.

“We have 13 games left so it’s a big period. You can’t drop too many points anymore, so I’m very happy that we did a job [on Tuesday].

“It’s an amazing feeling and an amazing atmosphere and it helps us to play a good game. To feel the energy of the crowd, it helps us a lot.”


Alongside the continued winning form, Town’s victory over Hull saw them record a third successive league clean sheet for the first time in nearly three years since McKenna’s men were promoted out of League One.

Matusiwa continued: “As long as you keep the clean sheets, you’re increasing your chance of winning. It’s up to us to keep on going with the clean sheets and to score one more goal than the opponents. That’s how you win games.”

Next up for the Blues during a busy run of matches is another home fixture, as relegation-threatened Leicester City make the trip to Suffolk on Saturday afternoon.

Town are unbeaten in 12 league matches on their own turf since defeat to Charlton Athletic in October, the only Championship fixture that Matusiwa has not played in due to suspension.

The Dutchman is therefore yet to taste defeat at Portman Road, but is still expecting a strong challenge at the weekend despite the Foxes’ recent struggles.

“Still a big club and there’s still good players,” he said. “We faced them away and had a really difficult game. In this league, it doesn’t matter who you play, every game is difficult.

“Even the game against Sheffield Wednesday here, they were already relegated and it was still hard. There are no easy games, it doesn’t matter who you play and we just have to win.

“The last loss was against Charlton unfortunately, I don’t hope that I have to taste it. We have a good home record. We have to keep going and hopefully we can take this record to the away games.”

Remarkably, Matusiwa has been sitting on nine yellow cards since the Blues’ victory over Stoke City in December, with the midfielder having now gone 14 matches without picking up a booking.

The 27-year-old has just three more matches to get through before the looming threat of a two-match ban is waived.

He said: “We’re almost there, but it’s hard. I came from 17 games and three more games to go.

“I can’t mess this up now because I came so far! I have to manage it. By the Sheffield Wednesday game, I should be fine.”

Photo: MI News via Reuters Connect