Ipswich Town's Kieran McKenna Insists Team Is Still In Fight To Avoid Premier League Relegation

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Ipswich Town's manager, Kieran McKenna, remains optimistic about avoiding relegation from the Premier League. Despite being 18th in the standings and trailing safety by 12 points, McKenna believes his team can still fight their way out. With 27 points still available this season, he emphasises that a few positive results could change their fortunes.

Ipswich faces a tough match against Bournemouth, who are aiming for European qualification. Bournemouth currently sit 10th and are just five points away from the top four. McKenna praised Bournemouth's manager, Andoni Iraola, for his excellent work and effective recruitment strategy. He noted how well the team has performed over recent seasons.

Bournemouth is also eager to recover after being eliminated from the FA Cup by Manchester City and losing to Brentford in their last league game. They aim to secure a win against Ipswich on Wednesday. Historically, Ipswich has struggled at Bournemouth, winning only once in 16 away league games since 1953.

For Bournemouth, Antoine Semenyo stands out despite not scoring since January. His ability to carry the ball over long distances makes him a threat. Semenyo has completed more carries than any non-defender in the league this season. Meanwhile, Ipswich will rely on Liam Delap to regain his scoring touch after a four-game drought.

Delap's aggressive play has resulted in him committing the most fouls in the league this season. McKenna hopes Delap can balance his aggression with goal-scoring prowess to help Ipswich's survival bid.

Match Predictions and Historical Context

The Opta supercomputer predicts a strong likelihood of a Bournemouth victory, with a win probability of 65.4%. Ipswich's chances are slimmer at 16.2%, while a draw is estimated at 18.5%. The teams have consistently scored against each other in their last eight encounters since March 1989.

Ipswich has lost eight of their last nine Premier League matches, including four consecutive defeats. Their current losing streak mirrors past struggles from December 2011 and April 1995 when they lost seven and eight successive games respectively.

Bournemouth aims to complete their first league double over Ipswich since the 1949-50 season after winning the reverse fixture earlier this campaign. Both teams' recent form suggests goals will be plentiful during Wednesday's clash at Vitality Stadium.

McKenna prefers focusing on what Ipswich can control rather than worrying about Wolves' results against West Ham. He remains confident that his team can compete until the end of the season if they secure some positive outcomes soon.

As both teams prepare for Wednesday's encounter, fans anticipate an exciting match filled with potential goals given their history of high-scoring games against each other.