Ipswich Town boss Mick McCarthy hopes to end the Blues’ nine-year run without victory against Norwich City as they travel to Carrow Road on Sunday afternoon.
The Tractor Boys have failed to beat their bitter rivals since 2009 – a run which includes six defeats, three draws and the pain of a Sky Bet Championship play-off semi-final exit – however both teams are positioned on 44 points in the middle of a congested table.
The Blues sit above the Canaries by a place due to their higher goal difference, however McCarthy is keen to extend their advantage over the Norfolk side.
“I’d love to win it for the fans,” said McCarthy. “They’ve been long-suffering against Norwich and it would be great for them to see us get a win.
“It’s an exciting weekend. You get that butterfly in your stomach and that nervous energy.
“I want to win this game. I want to win it for me, the lads, the fans more than anything, because I keep hearing the stats and I know how much it means to them.
“You can’t do anything about historical fixtures. I am aware of the record though and it will mean a little bit more to me if we can win this on Sunday.
“I can only speak from my time as a player. If I lost to somebody, I certainly didn’t want to lose to them again. There would be something burning fiercely inside me not wanting to get beaten again.”
The Blues fell to a narrow defeat against the Canaries earlier in the season as James Maddison’s strike was all that separated the two sides, however Norwich City Head Coach Daniel Farke has said the pressure is on Ipswich.
“We’re above them in the table, level on points, so neither of us are underdogs,” McCarthy responded. “You would have to say, if there’s anything that makes someone a slight favourite then it would be them being at home.”
