Middlesbrough boss Michael Carrick believes Ipswich Town are in with a shot of back-to-back promotions after watching his side fall 2-0 to the Blues yesterday.
Carrick faced friend Kieran McKenna as a boss for the first time, and it was the Town manager who headed back to Suffolk happy after strikes from Conor Chaplin and Omari Hutchinson.
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Asked after the game by Stuart Watson if Town were now promotion favourites, Carrick said: “It’s not for me to say if they are or not, but they are a very good team. I know that from working with Kieran as well, how well he prepares a team.
"He’s proven that over a long period of time. He has a settled team that are well-coached and you see that in the results they’re getting.
"I’m sure they will have a chance. There are some big clubs to compete against, as there are for us too. It’s the challenge in this league and it’s tight at the top.”
Of the game, Carrick added: "We’re disappointed. We knew coming in that they were a good team and we’d have to be at our best to get a result today.
"But we were just a little bit short on the day. We were short on a number of things and just not quite firing.
"Second half we improved with a number of things, notably our pressing and regains. And as it was going, I fancied us to get back in the game.
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"But the second goal comes from nothing really. We had to try and press and that leaves a bit of space. I think it was their second shot on target and we find ourselves 2-0 down.
"I feel for the boys in terms of their effort. They just lacked that fine edge and quality really in the big moments.
"That’s football. Both boxes make the difference. Everything in between gives you a chance, and you always try to give yourself a better chance of winning the game in those areas.
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"But in the end, both boxes are always the difference and in the end, we just didn’t quite have that bit of extra today. But it was against a good team. Two shots on target and two-nil down.
"It’s disappointing.”
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