Ipswich fans encouraged despite 3-2 loss at Manchester City

Ipswich Town lost 3-2 away to Manchester City at the Etihad Stadium, but the hosts of the Where The Town Walk podcast say the performance showed a squad growing in confidence and competitiveness.

Presenter Luke was joined by Rich, who attended the match, and Ian to assess the result. Rich said the scoreline was a fair reflection of the game rather than a case of bad luck. He noted it could have been 4-1 had a Erling Haaland goal not been disallowed, and that City were still under pressure late on, when a board showed 12 minutes of added time.

The hosts framed the result against last season, when Ipswich lost the two meetings with City by an aggregate of 10-1. Ian said a sense of belief now runs through the squad, and that the club did not appear in awe of City this time. He said the club had also recruited staff to match its Premier League status, something he felt had not happened when the side first arrived in the top flight, after a rapid rise from League One.

The hosts rated the attacking output. Ipswich scored twice at the Etihad, according to Rich, equalised within two minutes of going 1-0 down. Ian pointed to a projection circulating in the hosts' group chat that put the team on course for a high number of goals this season, though the hosts acknowledged the same projection suggested plenty would be conceded as well.

Rich said Ipswich changed formation and sat deep in a first half in which they had little of the ball and occasionally panicked. They grew into the game after the break, he said, citing a spell of around 25 passes that began with the goalkeeper and ended with a shot from Fleming. He credited the work of Gary O'Neil on the training ground for the players' willingness to play that way against opposition of City's quality.

Looking ahead, Rich said he expected Ipswich to be competitive in their next three games and in most matches this season. The question, he said, is whether the team can collect enough points to stay up.

The hosts also discussed the wider relegation picture. They said Hull had not won in five matches after a good start, and that Crystal Palace had lost 5-0 in a derby the day before. Fulham, Coventry and Sunderland were also mentioned as sides in the mix. Rich referred to a Daily Mail report that Manchester City could face a heavy points deduction, a claim the podcast did not detail and which has not been confirmed here. Ian said Ipswich should focus on their own points target rather than on City's situation.

The views are those of the podcast hosts, who are Ipswich supporters, rather than an official club assessment.