Ipswich Town boss Kieran McKenna admitted moments of brilliance from Leicester City proved decisive as his side slipped to a 3-1 defeat at the King Power Stadium.
The hosts struck early when Bobby De Cordova-Reid bent home a stunning effort from distance in the eighth minute. Leicester doubled their advantage on the stroke of half-time through Abdul Fatawu, who caught Christian Walton off his line with an extraordinary finish from inside his own half.
Jordan Ayew added a third shortly after the interval, before Jens Cajuste pulled one back late on, though the goal offered little more than consolation for Town.
Reflecting on the match, McKenna was candid in his assessment.
“It certainly wasn’t a good performance,” he said. “The goals were the key factor. When you concede a goal like that from 30 yards so early away from home against a strong side, it makes the task extremely difficult.
“They had a bit of momentum after that, but we settled and started to grow into the game. We even had a great chance to equalise when Jack Clarke shot straight at the goalkeeper from close range.
“Outside of a few set pieces, they did not create much in open play, so the game felt quite even. Then they score another unbelievable goal right before half-time. We have not done a lot wrong in that moment, it is simply outstanding individual quality.
“Those moments shaped the game. Leicester, especially at home and with goals like that behind them, are a very good team.”
McKenna felt his side still had hope at the break but was frustrated by the manner of Leicester’s third.
“At half-time you know it will be difficult, but you still believe you can get back into it. The third goal is the most disappointing one for us. We think we are about to get a free kick and then we switch off in the box. From that point it becomes really hard.
“We scored without creating much and then had a couple of chances to make it 3-2. If one of those goes in, maybe the game looks different. But it was a match decided by moments, and most of them went their way.”
The defeat brought to an end a demanding run of seven matches in 22 days and took some shine off a week that began with home victories over Coventry City and Stoke City. Ipswich remain fifth in the Championship after their fifth league loss of the campaign.
McKenna added that his side still have room to improve in how they react to conceding.
“Our response after going behind is something we can get better at,” he said. “It has been a really intense period with some highs and lows. Today is a disappointment after a couple of positive results, but now it is about how we reset.
“With no midweek game coming up, we can train properly and recover ahead of our next home match against Sheffield Wednesday.”
Ipswich have yet to put together three consecutive wins since their promotion run in the 2023 to 24 season. Asked whether this group can produce the kind of streak needed to close the gap to second-placed Middlesbrough, McKenna kept his focus narrow.
“We have to take it one game at a time. You cannot look too far ahead. We have lost today and now we have to try to win the next one, then the one after that.
“When fixtures come so quickly it is even harder. Winning four games in nine days over Christmas would be an incredible achievement, but that is what we will aim for.”
McKenna also confirmed that Sindre Walle Egeli was unavailable after falling ill the day before the match.