Ipswich manager Kieran McKenna plans to give the team’s fans “another wonderful day” at Carrow Road on Saturday.
With six games remaining, they lead the championship heading into Norwich, having not triumphed in Norfolk since 2006.”The players have given the fans so many nights to enjoy in the last few years, so many memories,” McKenna told BBC Radio Suffolk. “We understand that winning away to our competitors in the area would be another wonderful day.” Victory would put Ipswich one step closer to their first Premier League appearance since 2002.
Ipswich is “full of determination to make supporters proud,” according to McKenna.
In addition to facing 18 years of Derby history on Saturday, they also need to overcome Norwich’s strong recent home record, which is the third-best in the Championship, since they haven’t lost there since November.
“It’s imperative that we capitalize on our home advantage,” Norwich manager David Wagner stated to BBC Radio Norfolk. In the meantime, “We must ensure that this intensity is there both in the fans and on the field, and if we do, we will have all we need to make our opponent uncomfortable.
With a four-point lead over Coventry, Norwich, who also hopes to advance, will begin the day in the final play-off spot. It also definitely counts more for us to cause some trouble for the league leaders.
Wagner stated that we have an excellent home record, but in a derby, the events of the previous few weeks don’t really matter. You must put all of your attention on yourself, maintain mental clarity, be fiercely competitive, and battle for every inch—this is what we’ll do.
Easter Monday saw Norwich lose at Leicester, ending a three-game winning run, while Ipswich traveled north with three straight victories. It’s a derby game, of course, and we’ll be driven to make our fans proud.
The fans and players share a deep bond, so what’s unique for the fans is also special for the players, McKenna continued.
However, it’s just one more match in an incredible season chock-full of memorable moments and difficult tasks. We’ve met those hurdles head-on thus far, and on Saturday we want to continue doing just that.
These are moments to be grateful for, particularly our approach to the game and the clubs’ recent performance. Getting away from home and achieving a goal has, in my opinion, been one of my greatest experiences. And we’ll work hard to have another one of those on Saturday.