Ipswich Town manager Kieran McKenna has outlined where Kyle Edwards has to improve in order for his career to really take off.

The 24-year-old has played the role of super sub in front of two bumper Portman Road crowds this week, setting up the winner in last weekend's 3-2 home win against Portsmouth and then scoring twice to wrap up Tuesday night's 3-0 victory against Cambridge United.

Those were Edwards' first goals for Ipswich (17 starts and 14 sub appearances) taking his career tally to seven (47 starts and 61 sub appearances). That, coupled with his hat-trick of assists in a 6-0 thrashing of Northampton in the EFL Trophy, leaves him pushing for his first league start since a 1-1 draw at Wigan last December.

With team-mates and fans alike clearly delighted for the ever-smiling winger, McKenna urged the former England youth international - who made five appearances in the Premier League for West Brom - to 'push on now and start fulfilling some of his talent'.

Speaking ahead of Saturday's game at rock-bottom League One side Morecambe, the Blues boss was asked what the dynamic attacker needed to do in order for that to happen.

“He’s a player with clear and obvious talent with the ball at his feet," replied the Northern Irishman. "He can take on players, go one-v-one, has quality and composure and the physical attributes to go with it. That’s obviously a really good skill set to start with.

Ipswich Star: Kyle Edwards celebrates his second goal against Cambridge UnitedKyle Edwards celebrates his second goal against Cambridge United (Image: Archant)

“Of course in football to build your career you have to be effective in terms of goals and assists. If you play in the forward positions you need to have good numbers.

“There’s a process behind getting those numbers. It doesn't just happen, it’s about the areas that you get in and your decisions when you get in those areas.

“To play in a top team there are also demands that you have rise to in terms of your work off the ball, both when your team has it and also when the other team has it.

“Kyle’s been working ever so hard to hone the talents that he has and show he can be become a really effective player for our team. He’s made some really good steps in that direction and we’ve seen some of the fruits of that labour over the last few weeks.

“That’s part of a continuous process of improvement that not only Kyle Edwards is on. It’s one that Lee Evans is on, that Sone Aluko is on that, that Richard Keogh is on at 36. You have to keep trying to improve and develop your game no matter what stage you are in your career.

“Kyle, like everyone, is working hard to do that at the moment and we hope that he continues to do so."