Ipswich Town

Image source, Rex Features

Jaden Philogene's first senior hat-trick will be a big boost to the winger, according to Ipswich Town boss Kieran McKenna.

Philogene claimed the match ball as Ipswich hammered Sheffield United 5-0 to record their first Championship win of the season.

"It's a boost for Jaden on an individual level," McKenna said.

"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."

The 23-year-old joined Ipswich from Aston Villa for £20m in January but could not help save the Suffolk side from dropping straight out of the Premier League.

"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," added McKenna.

Forward Chuba Akpom is looking to continue his good record against Sheffield United when Ipswich host them on Friday.

The 29-year-old scored three in two games against the Blades while at Middlesbrough in the 2022-23 season, when he would go on to win the golden boot after scoring 28 Championship goals.

Akpom has relished the recent international break as a chance for him and his fellow new signings to settle in as the Tractor Boys look to secure a first win of the season.

"We've really hammered down on the patterns of plays and how we want to defend and attack and I feel like it's definitely helped the team already," Akpom told BBC Radio Suffolk.

"Everyone just needs a bit of time to gel."

Akpom signed from Ajax on a season-long loan deal this summer and is looking forward to playing multiple roles whilst in Suffolk.

"I think the gaffer sees me as quite a versatile player. At Ajax I played left wing, right wing. But I think my best position is probably as a second striker."

With Ipswich 20th in the table after opening with three draws and a loss, Akpom has identified how his side can now kick on.

"Although on paper we've got amazing players we've got an amazing manager, you need more than that. You need hard work, team work, togetherness to survive in the Championship," he added.

Sheffield United on the other hand have failed to pick up a point from their opening four games, which for Akpom is a reason to proceed with caution.

"Any team that's played Ipswich has got something to prove so it's definitely going to be a difficult game," he added.

Listen to the full interview with Chuba Akpom and more Ipswich Town on Sounds.

Both Ipswich Town and Sheffield United will be looking for their first win of the season when they meet on Friday (20:00 BST), with the Blades so far failing to pick up a single point and sitting bottom of the Championship table.

The Tractor Boys clinched a 116th minute equaliser last time out against Derby County and despite not winning any games, they have scored four goals.

• Ipswich Town are winless in their last four league games against Sheffield United (D2 L2) since doing the double over the Blades in 2010-11.

• Sheffield United have drawn on five of their last seven league visits to Ipswich Town (W1 L1), with their only win in that time coming on the final day of the 2009-10 season when they won 3-0.

• Ipswich are without a win in their last 12 league games (D5 L7); last enduring a longer winless run in October 2009 of 14 games.

• Sheffield United are the only side still without a point in the Championship so far this season, losing their first four games. Only once have they lost their opening five league games of a Football League season, doing so in the second tier in 1995-96.

• Sheffield United (3.0) and Ipswich (2.6) have the highest expected goals totals from set pieces in the Championship this season.

Ipswich Town manager Kieran McKenna has been speaking to the media ahead of Friday's game against Sheffield United (20:00 BST).

Here are the main talking points:

• The international break has benefitted the new players especially as they settle into their new club, helping the group and McKenna to get to know them.

• The late goal last time out to equalise with Derby County is important for fostering a never-say-die attitude that may help Town secure important points through the season.

• McKenna believes Sheffield United are a team to be wary of because of their losing start to the Championship season. The Blades have failed to pick up a single point so far but have suffered some tight losses and McKenna believes they will get back to winning ways sooner rather than later.

• It's expected that both Ipswich Town and Sheffield United will feature some new signings in their teams which brings some unknown to the fixture but McKenna is ultimately focused on making his side a "really hard team to play against".

• McKenna said loaning out Conor Chaplin to Portsmouth stemmed from some "honest conversations" between the two about playing time and that Chaplin's move was motivated by a desire to start games week in, week out because he still has a long playing career ahead of him.

Listen to Kieran McKenna's full pre-match thoughts and more Ipswich Town on Sounds.

Ipswich Town midfielder Jens Cajuste says he is "delighted" to be back at the club after re-signing for the 2025-26 season.

The Sweden international re-joined the Tractor Boys last month for a second season-long loan stint from Italian side Napoli.

"I am really excited, really happy," he told BBC Radio Suffolk. "I think it took a little longer than both parties expected, but it has turned out well.

"It is well known that I had a good time here, in the town. I enjoyed the coaching staff, the players and the place as a whole, so it has felt like a natural move.

"I was always keen on coming back, the club culture in general is something that I really appreciate."

Cajuste, 26, spent the entire 2024-25 season on loan at Portman Road, making 30 appearances in the top flight.

"I learned a lot, I had quite a few lessons and tough matches but those are the ones that you learn the most from," he added.

"To be honest, I think the English style of play is what suits me best. I have played in quite a few countries, but this is the one I have adapted to the best.

"This is a huge club with great players - I don't have any doubts about our ability to get back to the Premier League this season, at all."

Listen to the full interview and more from Ipswich on BBC Sounds.

Marc Webber
Final Score reporter

Image source, PA Media

The international break offers Ipswich Town the chance to rethink and reset after a disappointing start to the season.

Kieran McKenna will now get quality training and thinking time with some of the conveyor belt of promising new signings that have appeared in Portman Road this transfer window.

But is there a bigger thing his team needs to work on during this week off?

Do Ipswich need to re-learn the dark arts of the Championship?

Outmuscled by a masterclass in game management by Derby County last weekend, Ipswich looked lost at times when such tactics were applied against them.

The last time they were in this league, they were able to thwart such strategies with a quick-paced counter-attack and a belief accrued by their Icarus-like rise up the leagues.

It ensured that, every time, there was an instant response to opponents' attempts to win games, by controlling the tempo.

They don't have those luxuries this season, and it shows in points earned so far.

Maybe a strategic 'Plan B' should be part of the discussions in this week of learning?

Image source, Getty Images

Manager Kieran McKenna feels his Ipswich Town side are doing plenty right despite their winless start to the Championship season.

Ipswich scored a 106th-minute Jack Clarke penalty against Derby County but that was only enough to earn a 2-2 draw, meaning they head into the international break without a victory from their first four league games.

McKenna told BBC Radio Suffolk: "I don't feel like we are [too far away from our season sparking into life], but of course, it's really frustrating.

"We know we need to win games sooner rather than later but you can't wish your way there.

"It's only by performances getting better and learning lessons along the way, about the challenges, about the division, about what opponents are trying to do to stop us, that you get there.

"It's probably three games in a row that we've had more possession, much more chances than the opponent, we're not giving away much, we're not having too many problems in our structure, we've just given away some really poor goals against direct play.

"There's a lot of our work that is pretty good, but also we need to do better to turn it into wins. How quickly we can make that happen, that's the challenge ahead of us. No one's going to give us it."

Listen to Kieran McKenna's post-match interview on BBC Sounds

Ipswich Town manager Kieran McKenna spoke to BBC Radio Suffolk after his side earned a 2-2 draw against Derby County thanks to Jack Clarke's 116th minute penalty.

"Hopefully it'll be a big moment for us at the end. The group has been through a lot and the club has been through a lot over the summer

"It's been a challenging summer so it's a nice moment to go into the international break - a big thing for us to get a late goal here.

"I think the performances have been getting better every week as players have been getting up to speed and integrated.

"It's really frustrating - we know we need to win sooner rather than later but you can't wish yourself there, it's only about learning lessons that you get there."

Ipswich are set to break the Championship transfer record with a move of up to £20m for 19-year-old Norway international striker Sindre Walle Egeli from Nordsjaelland. (Farzam Abolhossein, externali)

Want more transfer news from the EFL? Take a look at Friday's gossip column here.

Ipswich Town host Derby County on Saturday (15:00 BST) with Kieran KcKenna's side still looking for their first win of the new season after a 1-0 defeat to Preston last weekend left them in 18th position in the early Championship standings.

Derby have also had a slow start to the season, though they did pick up their first point at the third time of asking last time out as they snatched a 1-1 draw at home to Bristol City.

• Ipswich Town have won each of their past two league games against Derby County and will be looking to win three in succession for the first time since April 2010 (five wins).

• Derby County have won four of their past six away league games against Ipswich Town (D1 L1), as many victories as across their 15 away matches against them between 1992 and 2014 (L11).

• Ipswich are unbeaten across their past 22 home games in the Championship (W15 D7), a run which has seen the Tractor Boys net 2.5 goals on average per fixture.

• Throughout the opening three matchdays of the 2025-26 Championship, no side has attempted fewer shots than Derby (21), whilst they've also recorded the second-fewest touches inside the opposition's penalty area (45).

• No player has recovered possession for their side more frequently in the Championship this season than Derby's Ebou Adams (21), whilst he also ranks joint-top amongst Rams players for tackles made (eight, alongside Matt Clarke).