Ipswich Town Finds Confidence In Premier League Start, Says McKenna

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Manager Kieran McKenna of Ipswich Town feels his team has gained confidence from their first three matches of the season. Ipswich secured their first Premier League point since promotion with a 1-1 draw against Fulham on Saturday. This came after challenging losses to Liverpool and Manchester City. Despite having just one point, McKenna believes these games have been crucial in shaping their approach for the season.

McKenna highlighted the Liverpool match as particularly confidence-boosting for his players. "Especially in the Liverpool game, the players came away with more confidence from it," he said. Reflecting on the Fulham game, he added, "And [against Fulham] we built on what we did against Liverpool. Our pressure was good and aggressive again. I think the players have come away from the first three games with more belief to be honest."

Marco Silva expressed some disappointment that Fulham couldn't build on their previous win over Leicester City. Adama Traore equalised before halftime, but both teams struggled to dominate after the break. Silva told BBC Sport: "It was a tough game against an aggressive side. They have great support which demanded us to win duels and beat the pressure."

Silva praised Traore's performance, noting his impact on the team. "[Traore] created some good moments for other players, he is in good shape, helping the team and the reason why he is playing is because he can be decisive for us if he can take the right decisions." However, Silva acknowledged that controlling the game in the second half was challenging.

The Ipswich manager was particularly pleased with Liam Delap's performance, who scored his first goal since joining from Manchester City this summer. McKenna commented, "I enjoyed his all-round performance, each week he's getting stronger, he's learning and he's got great growth to come." He added that Delap has significant potential and that they have strong faith in him.

Despite not creating many opportunities in the second half, Silva noted that Fulham remained solid defensively. "We were solid; we did not give many things away but we did not create," he said.

The opening fixtures have provided valuable lessons for Ipswich Town as they navigate their return to top-flight football. The belief gained from these matches could prove vital as they continue their campaign.