This Week's Opposition: Ipswich Town

A closer look at the Blues' next Championship opponent with Pompey Live's Kirsty Roxanne.

Following a 2-0 defeat to Sheffield Wednesday on home soil last time out, which in turn rewarded The Owls with their first league victory of the season, John Mousinho’s side are back on the road.

Matchday 7 takes the Blues to Portman Road in Suffolk, home of Ipswich Town.

MANAGER

Former Manchester United coach Kieran McKenna remains in the dugout.

After retiring from playing, McKenna started his coaching career as a youth coach at Tottenham Hotspur, Manchester United, Leicester City, Nottingham Forest and Canadian side Vancouver Whitecaps.

McKenna worked as first team coach and as José Mourinho’s assistant manager at Man United ahead of the 2018/19 season before taking over then-League One outfit Ipswich in 2021.

After his arrival, the Tractor Boys saw a quick turnaround in form - He won 7 of his first 10 games in charge and kept 7 clean sheets in the process. Ipswich went 11 matches unbeaten in February and March, including setting a new club record for not conceding a goal during that period, surpassing the previous 547 minute record.

In his first season at Portman Road, he guided the club to an 11th place finish in League One and in the following season, helped secure promotion back up to the Championship, sealing it with a 6-0 victory over Exeter City on home soil.

They would go on to finish the season in 2nd, ending the campaign with a 19-game unbeaten run but losing out on the title to Plymouth Argyle.

After signing a new contract, extending his stay until 2027, he won Manager of the Season after securing back-to-back automatic promotions, achieving another 2nd place finish but this time in the Championship, earning promotion to the top flight in 2024.

McKenna's side accumulated 194 points and scored 193 goals over those 2 incredible seasons and became the first club since Southampton in 2012 to go back-to-back from League One to the Premier League.

Ipswich only managed to win 4 games in the Prem however, recording their lowest-ever points total in the top flight and suffering relegation back to the second tier alongside fellow promoted sides Leicester and Southampton.

ONE TO WATCH

Former Portsmouth loanee George Hirst is our one to keep tabs on this weekend.

The forward came through the ranks and signed his first professional contract for Sheffield Wednesday in March 2016. Hirst also played for second division Belgian team OH Leuven and also Leicester City, with loan spells at Rotherham United, Pompey, Blackburn Rovers and Ipswich.

In July 2023, Hirst made his move to Ipswich permanent and scored his first-ever Championship goal on his second debut for the club, netting against Sunderland on the opening day of the 2023/24 season.

The Scottish international scored his first Premier League goal in October 2024 against Brentford.

So far this season, the number 9 has managed 2 goals and 1 assist.

TOP SCORER

The current leading scorer at the club this season is Jaden Philogene.

After coming through the Aston Villa academy, Philogene signed his first professional contract in 2021, making his debut in a 2-1 victory away at Spurs.

The 23-year-old had loan spells at Stoke City and Cardiff City before signing for Hull City in 2023.

A year later however, Philogene re-joined Aston Villa on a 5-year contract and in the October of last year, he made his UEFA Champions League debut in a 1-0 win over Bayern Munich.

The winger signed for Ipswich in January of this year and netted his first goals for the club in an away defeat to Manchester United in the Premier League.

Philogene has netted 3 goals so far this season with all 3 of those goals coming in the 5-0 victory over Sheffield United at Portman Road on September 12th, marking his first career hattrick.

CURRENT FORM

After being relegated from the top flight last season, Kieran McKenna’s side have not had the start they would’ve expected. With 1 win, 3 draws and 1 loss recorded thus far, they sit 17th with 6 points after 5 games.

The Tractor Boys’ most recent fixture against Blackburn was abandoned in the 80th minute due to the adverse weather conditions at Ewood Park. The side were losing 1-0 and down to 10 men after Jacob Greaves was shown a red card in the 49th minute.

The last time these sides met was back in December 2022 and the points were shared following a 2-2 League One stalemate at Fratton Park. Blues goals from Marlon Pack and Colby Bishop made it 2-1 before an 87th minute Ipswich equaliser from Conor Chaplin, who is now back at Portsmouth on loan from Ipswich and ineligible to feature this weekend against his parent club.

Can the Blues defy the odds and get back to winning ways against the early promotion favourites?

Find out by catching all of the unmissable action with the return of Pompey Live on Express FM this Saturday (September 27th) afternoon from 2pm - Jake Smith, Kirsty Roxanne and David Howes will be on hand to report on the match at Portman Road.

Kick-off: 3pm!