Will Still reveals where Southampton ‘need’ to improve after ‘frustrating’ draw with Ipswich Town

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Southampton drew with fellow promotion candidates Ipswich Town on Sunday afternoon.

Southampton drew 1-1 with Ipswich Town at Portman Road in a closely contested Championship fixture.

Both sides are dubbed by many second tier supporters as potential automatic promotion favourites for the 2025/26 season, and the stalemate affair reflected that.

Saints centre-half Taylor Harwood-Bellis scored a calamitous own goal after just four minutes, but youngster Jack Robinson scored his first Southampton goal to level the scores.

Despite both sides pushing for the win, the spoils were shared after 90 minutes, and Saints boss Will Still revealed post-match what his side must “rub out of their game” in the next stages of the season.

• READ MORE: Ipswich Town fans aren’t convinced by new signing after Southampton display

Will Still reveals what Southampton must improve after Ipswich Town draw

Ahead of the clash, Still’s selection for Southampton raised eyebrows with the inclusion of Mateus Fernandes from the start and Tyler Dibling on the bench.

Still offered a transfer update on Dibling and Fernandes after the game, and outlined that the professionalism of the in-demand Saints duo has been “spot on”.

Unfortunately for Still, neither substitute Dibling nor starter Fernandes could inspire victory for the Saints at Ipswich.

After the game, the Saints boss revealed what elements Southampton ‘need to rub out’ as the season progresses.

Still told Sky Sports: “It’s a point. It’s an important point. I think if you can’t win those games, you’ve got to try not to lose them.

“That’s what we’ve done. I think the frustrating thing is that we’ve gifted them that goal. We didn’t really need to do that.

“We need to rub that out of our game because the main big chances have all come from direct mistakes from us.

“That’s frustrating. But again, we’ve showed a bit of grit and a bit of character to come back into the game and scored a really good goal.

“I thought the first half was really positive and then we sort of ran out of steam a bit in the second half. But you expect that. You come away to a big club, big ground and it is difficult at times.

“We did what we had to do to stay in the game, and, respect the point, I think.”

• READ MORE: ‘Nightmare’… Southampton labelled as a ‘complete mess’ after error vs Ipswich Town

Southampton and Ipswich Town proved they are promotion favourites

Although the season is only two game weeks in, the early signs point towards both Southampton and Ipswich being automatic promotion contenders this term.

Kieran McKenna’s Tractor Boys have taken two points from six on offer against two of the best sides in the Championship and will take great confidence from their opening outings into their trip to Preston North End on Saturday.

The Saints beat newly-promoted Wrexham on the opening weekend with an impressive comeback victory, and then proved their grit once again to grind out a result under Still at Ipswich on Sunday.

A resolution to the Dibling to Everton saga will be beneficial for Still and his Southampton squad, whether the winger departs or not.

For Still, the emergence will soften the blow of a potential Dibling departure. Yet, the opening two Saints showings have highlighted that Southampton must target attacking reinforcements before the transfer window shuts on September 1.