The final nail in Ipswich Town’s Premier League coffin could well have been handed to them on Saturday, as Vitor Pereira’s Wolverhampton Wanderers recovered well on the road to beat Kieran McKenna’s hosts 2-1.
Ipswich did race into a slim one-goal lead in the first half courtesy of Liam Delap, but it was to no avail as the Old Gold eventually clinched a dramatic three points, meaning the gap between the Tractor Boys in 18th and Wolves in 17th spot is at a sizeable nine points.
Therefore, McKenna will likely be preparing for Ipswich to drop back down to the Championship very soon, with a hope that Omari Hutchinson will stick it out in Suffolk if a bruising relegation is confirmed.
Hutchinson's heroics at Ipswich
After all, Hutchinson’s finest form donning Tractor Boys blue came about when Ipswich last found themselves in the entertaining EFL.
The ex-Chelsea man would fire home a hefty ten goals and pick up an impressive six assists during Ipswich’s promotion-winning exploits back in the 2023/24 season, leading to McKenna and Co landing Hutchinson for a bumper £20m.
He has since acclimatised to the demands of the top-flight well – even if an instant return to the Championship is on the cards for his employers – with this breakaway effort against Chelsea in December one of five goal contributions he’s managed from 27 league clashes.
If Hutchinson does stay put, he will hope he can wriggle free of any injury concerns that have made this season somewhat stop-start for him, with the 21-year-old missing from his side’s last crushing loss to Wolves.
But, regardless of what does occur with the Ipswich number 20 moving forward, McKenna will know he has his next Hutchinson in the making in this entertaining ace who has previously taken the Championship by storm.
McKenna's next Hutchinson in the making
Everyone associated with the Portman Road strugglers will hope when relegation is inevitably confirmed, all the building blocks are put in place for Ipswich to mount an instant return to the top-flight.
Already possessing a top talent for the division in Jaden Philogene-Bidace will make this mission easier to accomplish, with the ex-Hull City star twisting and turning second tier defences for fun when Ipswich were hunting down automatic promotion last time around.
Games played
44
32
Goals scored
10
12
Assists
5
6
Shots*
1.5
3.6
Big chances missed
4
6
Big chances created
7
7
As can be seen glancing at the table above, Philogene tore the second tier to shreds playing as a fast-paced loanee for the Tigers, with the 23-year-old actually bettering Hutchinson’s blistering numbers in the process by picking up three more goal contributions from 12 less encounters.
Therefore, McKenna will have full faith in Philogene to dust himself down and get back to his rampaging best if second tier football returns on the menu, with one audacious effort for Hull last season leading to him be recognised by FIFA as a Puskas award nominee.
Dubbed a “special” talent by his then-Hull boss in Liam Rosenior, McKenna will further hope he can be as impactful as Hutchinson by delivering the goods to see promotion be instantly achieved.
Philogene could perhaps be capable of even more on the books of Ipswich, considering the Tigers finished just outside the playoffs in seventh position despite their dazzling attacker’s heroics.
Whatever does transpire this summer, the Tractor Boys won’t want to dwell on matters for too long, with everything in place for a finish near the Championship summit if stars such as Philogene can be as exciting as Hutchinson proved to be.
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