Philogene hits superb hat-trick as Ipswich cruise to first win
Hirst punishes awful defending and sub Clarke adds fifth
Thrashing piles more pressure on Sheff Utd boss Selles after poor start
Bottom side Blades have lost every game since Spaniard replaced Chris Wilder
#bbcefl, via WhatsApp on 03301231826 or text 81111 (UK only, standard message rates apply)
Agent Selles strikes again. His mission? Brighten up Wednesday’s season.
Anon
The Blades' team selection is unpopular/popular with at least one person*... don't forget your names on messages though folks.
*Not sure which side of the Steel City this has been sent in from
Ipswich v Sheffield United (20:00 BST)
Glenn Speller
BBC Sport England at Portman Road
It's been soggy, in fact very soggy in Suffolk this afternoon, so much so that Noah might have needed a bigger boat.
To go with the rain we've had some booming rumbles of thunder and spectacular flashes of lightning - standby for lots of journalistic analogies between the weather and the storm clouds gathering, certainly over tonight's visitors.
There was a sharp intake of breath from some of the Blades' travelling media at the absence of skipper Gus Hamer from the starting Xl.
It looks like a big call from an under-pressure head coach or is it Ruben Selles telling us he feels secure enough in his role to show just who is in charge?
Ipswich v Sheff Utd (20:00 BST)
Brenner Woolley
BBC Radio Suffolk commentator
It was hectic. There was lots of upheaval in the transfer window.
I'm sure there are some really good lads in amongst this current group, but I can't help but feel a tinge of sadness and a little bit of concern in the short-term about how long it might take for Ipswich to get a settled team.
Ipswich v Sheff Utd (20:00 BST)
Image source, Getty ImagesFour straight league losses, no goal since the opening day and one very unhappy fanbase.
It's been a nightmare start to the campaign for Sheffield United and new boss Ruben Selles.
BBC Sport has taken a look at what's gone wrong and whether the Spaniard will get the time to try to turn it around.
#bbcefl
Think it's fair to say both sets of fans will have expected their team to have made a better start to the season.
Of course there's 42 games of the marathon Championship campaign still to go so more than enough time for these pair to get up to the upper echelons of the division.
We'd love to hear from fans of either side, are you still confident you can get into the promotion shake-up come May? What do you think has gone wrong so far? And Blades fans, what do you make of this starting XI?!
You can contact us on this and all other EFL matters of course using #bbcefl, via WhatsApp on 03301231826 or text 81111 (UK only, standard message rates apply).
Ipswich v Sheff Utd (20:00 BST)
Andy Giddings
Sports Editor, BBC Sheffield
Sheffield United can't keep losing. The pressure is already there on Ruben Selles.
There are sections of Sheffield United's fanbase that are not convinced in the slightest and would advocate change, whether that is fair or not, given the recruitment over the course of the summer.
Tonight is hugely important. Ultimately, if they don't start winning soon, then he isn't going to last in position much longer.
Ipswich v Sheff Utd (20:00 BST)
Image source, Rex FeaturesIt's been a couple of weeks since we had any Championship action so it's worth reminding ourselves of the table - not that it makes happy reading for either of tonight's teams.
Ipswich are looking to end a 12-match winless league run that stretches all the way back to a 2-1 victory at Bournemouth in the Premier League on 2 April.
Meanwhile, Sheffield United have started the season with four successive defeats and another reverse in Suffolk tonight would equal their worst-ever start to a league campaign.
Ipswich v Sheffield United (20:00 BST)
Glenn Speller
BBC Sport England at Portman Road
The approaches to Portman Road in the town centre are dotted with memories of Ipswich Town's glory years.
There are statues of their great managers Sir Alf Ramsey and Sir Bobby Robson as well as one of Kevin Beattie, who, but for some awful luck with injuries, would surely have been a mainstay of England's defence in the 1970s.
Champions of England in 1962 and twice runners-up in the early 1980s, as well as an FA Cup win and a UEFA Cup title, this is a club steeped in history and not frightened to remind people.
This year is already looking like one of transition after last season's chastening Premier League experience.
But even though boss Kieran McKenna is rebuilding his squad there is a feeling around the ground this evening that only a win against struggling Sheffield United will steady the ship after an unexpectedly poor start to the campaign.
Ipswich v Sheff Utd (20:00 BST)
Image source, OptaIpswich Town boss Kieran McKenna has made two alterations from the side that drew with Derby before the break.
Conor Chaplin has left for Portsmouth and Ashley Young is not included in the 20-man squad. Darnell Furlong and Chuba Akpom come in for their first starts for the club.
Image source, OptaSheffield United boss Ruben Selles has made three notable changes form the side that lost 1-0 at Middlesbrough last time out.
Captain Gus Hamer drops to the bench along with striker Tyrese Campbell, while defender Tyler Bindon misses out altogether. Deadline day signings Mark McGuinness and Alex Matos make debuts in defence and midfield respectively and Tom Cannon will lead the attack.
Hamer, last season's Championship player of the year, and Campbell are the only players to score for the Blades this season.
Sydie Peck, who turns 21 tomorrow, leads the team as captain for the first time.
Ipswich v Sheff Utd (20:00 BST)
I'm just going to get straight into the team news because... Some VERY eyebrow-raising stuff in there.
Ipswich v Sheff Utd (20:00 BST)
Image source, Rex FeaturesThe transfer window is closed, the first international break of the season is over and two of the teams expected to compete at the top end of the Championship are still winless.
Ipswich Town, relegated from the Premier League last season, welcome Sheffield United, who reached the play-off final last term, with both teams in desperate need of something to kickstart their campaign.
Friday night under the lights in not-so-sunny Suffolk.
Let's get going.
Image source, Rex Features
Jaden Philogene joined Ipswich from Aston Villa for £20m in January
Jaden Philogene lit up Portman Road with his first senior hat-trick as Ipswich ended their winless start to the Championship season while piling more misery on Sheffield United and their embattled boss Ruben Selles.
For just the second time in their history, the Blades have opened a season with five successive league defeats and Selles cut a lonely figure on the touchline as he watched his side crumble in the face of some slick, pacy football from the hosts.
Philogene capitalised on a slip by Blades debutant Alex Matos to fire Ipswich ahead on 21 minutes before adding two more eye-catching strikes in the second period as the visitors collapsed defensively with a series of bad errors.
George Hirst added a fourth through the legs of goalkeeper Michael Cooper before substitute Jack Clarke repeated the trick to leave the future of the visitors' head coach surely in the balance.
The first surprise of the evening arrived with the team sheets - Sheffield United captain Gus Hamer dropped to the bench - and things swiftly went downhill for the visitors.
Philogene gave an early warning of his intentions with his second-minute shot saved by Cooper before Japhet Tanganga offered the travelling support some early encouragement with two headers from Harrison Burrows corners just over the bar.
But 10 minutes after Chuba Akpom had just failed to convert a Leif Davis cross, Ipswich went ahead as Alex Matos, in trying to intercept a cross-field pass, could only divert it into the path of Philogene who ran on to score confidently.
Six minutes after the break, the Blades defence clearly had not learned their lesson as they allowed the winger to cut inside on his right foot for a second time with the same outcome.
With chants of 'sacked in the morning' echoing from the away sections, more dreadful defending allowed Hirst to find space in the penalty area and slot an effort from an acute angle through Cooper's legs.
It took 59 minutes for home goalkeeper Alex Palmer to be called into action as he denied Tom Cannon but it was only a brief respite as Philogene completed his hat-trick by hammering a rising left-foot effort into the roof of the net.
Substitute Clarke joined the party late on, becoming the second player to beat Cooper with a nutmeg as Ipswich completed just their second home league win in 22 attempts and a first since beating Chelsea in the Premier League on 30 December last year.
Ipswich boss Kieran McKenna:
"Tonight feels like the first game for the group. The first half was really tough. I've got a lot of respect for Ruben because his sides press really hard and it's difficult to get out and play.
"Our talent at the top end can hurt teams and it was a different challenge from what we had from Derby and Preston before – to get the rewards we got in the second half we had to show a lot of resilience and strength."
On the performance of hat-trick scorer Jaden Philogene:
"It's a boost for Jaden on an individual level – he came to us late last season and was playing on the right and we know he prefers to play on the left but we had some injuries so we had to play him on the right.
"We've done a lot of work with him in the summer – for him it will be a big boost to his confidence and we know what qualities he can bring to the side.
Sheffield United boss Ruben Selles:
"The first goal comes from an interception 70 yards from our goal. The second goal changed the game and I think we fell apart. We can analyse the changes and the shape but we were competitive until the second goal.
"After a 5-0 defeat it's tough to talk about some positives but in the first half we saw the team we want to be.
"It doesn't matter what I believe (about my future) but I will keep working until the last moment – I have to take the pain and analyse what we want for the next game to try to beat the next opponent [Charlton on Saturday, 20 September]."
After the opportunity to rate players has closed, the score displayed represents the average from all the submissions by BBC Sport users.
| Team | Played | Won | Drawn | Lost | Goals For | Goals Against | Goal Difference | Points | Form, Last 6 games, Oldest first |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 1 | 6 | 12 |
| |
| 4 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 6 | 3 | 3 | 10 |
| |
| 4 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 8 | 3 | 5 | 9 |
| |
| 4 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 6 | 3 | 3 | 9 |
| |
| 4 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 14 | 6 | 8 | 8 |
| |
| 4 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 9 | 4 | 5 | 8 |
| |
| 4 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 4 | 2 | 2 | 7 |
| |
| 4 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 4 | 3 | 1 | 7 |
| |
| 4 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 4 | 3 | 1 | 7 |
| |
| 4 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 4 | 4 | 0 | 7 |
| |
| 5 | 1 | 3 | 1 | 9 | 5 | 4 | 6 |
| |
| 4 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 6 | 5 | 1 | 6 |
| |
| 4 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 3 | 6 | -3 | 6 |
| |
| 4 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 6 | 6 | 0 | 5 |
| |
| 4 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 5 | 5 | 0 | 5 |
| |
| 4 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 7 | 7 | 0 | 4 |
| |
| 4 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 4 | -2 | 4 |
| |
| 4 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 5 | 9 | -4 | 4 |
| |
| 4 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 6 | 11 | -5 | 4 |
| |
| 4 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 4 | 5 | -1 | 3 |
| |
| 4 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 7 | 11 | -4 | 2 |
| |
| 4 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 4 | 7 | -3 | 1 |
| |
| 4 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 3 | 9 | -6 | 1 |
| |
| 5 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 1 | 12 | -11 | 0 |
|
Manager: Kieran McKenna
Formation: 4 - 2 - 3 - 1
Manager: Rubén Sellés
Formation: 4 - 2 - 3 - 1
Manager: Kieran McKenna
Formation: 4 - 2 - 3 - 1
Manager: Rubén Sellés
Formation: 4 - 2 - 3 - 1
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