Team news, injury updates vs Brighton as McKenna talks Burns and Hirst

Wes Burns and George Hirst’s hopes of playing for Ipswich Town at Brighton & Hove Albion are “impossible”, says Tractor Boys manager Kieran McKenna.

Winger Burns has not played since limping off in City’s home defeat to Liverpool on August 17, while striker Hirst has been sidelined with a knee injury picked up against Fortuna Dusseldorf in pre-season.

“They’ve been training with the team all week and they’re both ahead of schedule,” McKenna said. “They both feel really happy.

“We will make the right decision – not just for this weekend – and we will not take unnecessary risks. But both, as it stands [on Thursday]they are there to join the team.”

Hard work before #BHAIPS on Saturday. ✊ pic.twitter.com/J58MraCFub

– IPSWICH TOWN (@IpswichTown) September 11, 2024

Ipswich vs Brighton

As McKenna prepares to face opponents who have been strongly linked with a move for his coaching services in the summer, the reigning LMA Manager of the Year also had a positive update on Omari Hutchinson following the striker’s withdrawal from England Under-21 duty.

“He suffered a hamstring injury after the Fulham game [on August 31] and he didn’t recover for six or seven days after that,” explained the Northern Irishman.

“But at the end of this week he is feeling better and has been training fully for the past few days. And, you will be found. We have a full team available; all the boys have returned from other countries [break] good.”

Ipswich team: ‘Good backbone’

Burns and Christian Walton – the former Brighton goalkeeper – signed new two-year contracts this week, keeping them at Portman Road until 2026.

McKenna called the extensions “very important”. “We are very happy to have these two players more than players [who signed] before,” he added.

🚜📝 Current Ipswich Town and Puskas Award winner Wes Burns has signed a new two-year contract with the Tractor Boys.

Any excuse to watch it again…#ITFC | @BlueMondayITFC pic.twitter.com/6zL3iU93Yv

— The Sportsman (@TheSportsman) September 9, 2024

“There are several ongoing discussions with some of our players about accepting and committing to new contracts.

“It is in line with where we want to build and improve the team but in a way where we keep a good core of players, who have been an important part of the journey”.

Promoted last season, Ipswich are looking for another encouraging result against the Seagulls on Saturday (3pm BST), having picked up their first point of the campaign with a 1-1 draw at Craven Cottage.