Ipswich news: Opinion – ‘No-one can deny positive momentum is building’

Back in 2000-01, Ipswich Town’s embryonic Premier League campaign was given huge impetus via a 1-1 draw with Sir Alex Ferguson’s Manchester United.

George Burley’s side rushed into an early lead courtesy of Fabian Wilnis, and had multiple chances to convert one point into three had it not been for heroics from goalkeeper Fabien Barthez.

Fast forward over 24 years and Town fans will be hoping that Sunday’s eerily similar experience against United leads to history repeating itself.

The Blues were excellent value for their point, as Portman Road spoiled the gathered media’s week-long love-in for Ruben Amorim.

Had it not been for Andre Onana emulating Barthez and denying the prowling Liam Delap, it could have been three points for the class of 2024.

No-one can deny that positive momentum is building for Kieran McKenna’s side, with Sunday’s draw reinforcing the view that the “shock” result at Tottenham was no flash in the pan.

Town out-worked Ange Postecoglou’s men (maybe that is what inspired Spurs’ performance at Manchester City!), and largely out-worked Amorim’s cobbled-together United team too.

But that hard work needs to be converted into victories. McKenna said in his assessment post-United that ideally one or two of the previous draws could/should have been wins.

With the Blues now on the wrong side of the dotted line – albeit on goal difference – a run of games coming up against the likes of Crystal Palace and Wolves needs to see the win count increase if the battle for survival is going to be successful.

Burley’s boys accumulated 17 points in the 10 games following their 1-1 draw with United in 2000, leaving them sitting pretty in seventh spot.

With the bottom half of the Premier League so compressed, who knows where a similar return of points could take McKenna’s men?

Find more from Richard Woodward at the Blue Monday Podcast, external