It’s a battle between two relegated clubs on Saturday as Leicester City host Ipswich Town at the King Power Stadium, with nine places but just six points separating them
Ipswich Town boss Kieran McKenna after his side’s 3-0 win over Coventry
Ipswich boss Kieran McKenna after his side’s 3-0 win over Coventry(Image: Richard Pelham/Getty Images)
Ipswich Town boss Kieran McKenna suspects Leicester City are “not happy” with how their season has panned out so far as both clubs deal with the challenge of bouncing back from relegation.
The Tractor Boys, Saturday’s visitors to the King Power Stadium, sit fourth in the Championship table and are going strong after overcoming a winless first month of the campaign.
McKenna knows that it’s a challenge for both clubs to change the mood following campaigns in which they became accustomed to losing, City defeated 25 times last term, and with Ipswich suffering 24 losses.
Although, as Cifuentes recently pointed out, Ipswich “spent a lot of money” in the summer, with the sales of Omari Hutchinson and Liam Delap allowing them to spend more than £50m as 11 new players arrived at Portman Road.
At City, financial mismanagement over a number of years meant that even with a number of sales, there was no money spent on transfer fees, with their five arrivals comprising three loans and two free agent goalkeepers.
“I’d imagine they’re not happy with where they are and that it’s not gone as well as they would have liked,” McKenna told BBC Radio Suffolk, assessing City. “It’s a challenge coming down from the Premier League.
“When I’ve watched them, they’re very often the better footballing side in a game. They play well through the pitch and play some good football. They still clearly have really good players.
“Marti’s a good coach. He did a really good job at QPR. When we faced them in the Championship last time around, I thought they were really well organised.
“Why it’s not gone their way I’m not quite sure. I know some of the challenges they will have had.
“It’s probably different for different clubs. But it is difficult, especially if you don’t get off to a good start and you can’t get that momentum to turn it around. When you’re coming off a losing season, trying to turn that around is certainly not easy.
“You’ve seen teams get off to a good start and then everyone’s happy and things push on. You’ve seen Luton compete well in the Premier League and then get relegated straight through. You’ve seen everything in between over the last decade.
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“It’s certainly a challenge. Turning around the momentum of the season before is difficult in all aspects and that’s what we’re still fighting to do.”
Ipswich should arrive with confidence after back-to-back victories over promotion-chasing Coventry and Stoke in their last two. For City, they’re looking to respond after giving up a two-goal lead in their draw with Bristol City on Wednesday.
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