Kieran McKenna And Fabian Hurzeler Commend Liam Delap Before Ipswich Town's Match Against Brighton

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Both Kieran McKenna and Fabian Hurzeler have expressed admiration for Liam Delap ahead of Ipswich Town's Premier League match against Brighton on Thursday. Delap, who joined Ipswich from Manchester City during the summer, has been impressive in his debut top-flight season. The 21-year-old has contributed significantly with two goals and an assist in recent matches against Chelsea and Fulham.

McKenna shared his initial impressions of Delap, highlighting the young player's rapid development since joining the club. "I think he has evolved his game over the last 18 months," McKenna noted. He recalled facing Delap at Portman Road last year when Delap played as a right winger, using his speed to outpace defenders. Since then, Delap has improved his back-to-goal play and physical presence.

Delap's ability to absorb information and apply it effectively has been a pleasant surprise for McKenna. "He takes on information well and can apply things well," McKenna said, praising Delap's willingness to discuss and improve his game. These qualities make him a promising young player with great potential.

Fabian Hurzeler also commended Delap's strong start to the season. The Brighton manager first noticed Delap's talent during his time at St. Pauli when Delap was part of Manchester City's youth academy. "I think he is the whole package," Hurzeler remarked, acknowledging Delap's impressive performances for someone so young.

Within Brighton's squad, Joao Pedro might miss the trip to Portman Road due to an ankle injury sustained before their FA Cup win over Norwich City. Pedro has been crucial for Brighton this season with five goals and five assists in 14 Premier League appearances. However, Hurzeler emphasised caution regarding Pedro's return, stating they won't rush him back unnecessarily.

"We won't do any stupid things," Hurzeler added, acknowledging Pedro's youth and need for careful management. Despite wanting to play every game, Pedro understands that sometimes physical limitations require adaptation.

Players to Watch

Ipswich - Liam Delap: This season, Delap has scored eight goals in 19 Premier League matches, matching his tally from 31 Championship games with Hull last year. His goal-scoring record is notable among English players in promoted teams' first 20 Premier League games since Patrick Bamford's 11 goals for Leeds United in 2020-21.

Brighton - Jan Paul van Hecke: Despite Brighton's winless streak since November in the Premier League, Van Hecke remains a standout performer under Hurzeler. Only Alex Iwobi (118) surpasses Van Hecke (111) in progressive passes this season, with Van Hecke averaging 6.6 per 90 minutes among players with over 1,000 minutes played.

Match Prediction: Brighton Win

Brighton's last four Premier League matches have ended in draws. The last team to draw five consecutive games was Fulham between December 2020 and January 2021. Brighton hasn't won in eight top-flight games (D6 L2), their longest streak without victory since September to December 2021 under Graham Potter.

This upcoming match marks Ipswich's first home league encounter against Brighton since a goalless draw in September 2016 during the Championship and their first top-flight meeting since January 1983 when Ipswich won 2-0. Recently, Ipswich has matched their previous seven-game points total (four) and goal tally (four) within just two Premier League matches.

Ipswich faces challenges this season with fewer open-play shots (122) than any other Premier League team and a league-low expected goals (xG) figure of 13.1 from open play.