Darnell Furlong fires warnings to Ipswich Town teammates ahead of Blackburn Rovers clash

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The Championship is a notoriously difficult league to win promotion from, but the Tractor Boys have proven they can do so.

Ipswich Town face Blackburn Rovers on Saturday afternoon as Kieran McKenna’s side look for back-to-back Championship wins for the first time since winning promotion from League One in 2023.

Ipswich could inflict an unwanted 29-year record on Blackburn if Valerien Ismael’s side are defeated once again on home soil.

After Ipswich’s 5-0 win over Sheffield United, which proved to be Ruben Selles’ final game in charge of the Blades, optimism is high at Portman Road.

However, summer signing Darnell Furlong has fired an important warning about the promotion race to his in-form Tractor Boys teammates.

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Darnell Furlong warns Ipswich Town squad about complacency

Last time out, Ipswich battered Sheffield United in every department, with Jaden Philogene scoring a stunning hat-trick to see Selles sacked.

Ipswich signed Furlong from West Brom in the window, with the full-back arriving for a reported £3.5m fee as part of the Tractor Boys’ £50m-plus summer outlay, which added even further supreme quality to McKenna’s squad.

Furlong is excited by Ipswich’s “ambition” of promotion back to the Premier League, but the defender has warned his teammates that stellar personnel does not guarantee promotion.

As quoted by TWTD, Furlong said: “There’s a lot of quality in the group, a lot of quality from the staff and the players which is brilliant.

“But as we know and as I’ve known for many years now, the Championship is an extremely tough league no matter how good your squad is.

“Just being a good squad and having good players isn’t enough, anything can happen along the way.

“Hopefully the other night was the start of something and maybe we can put a little run together, but we can’t take anything for granted in how tough the league is going to be.

“I’ve walked in and I’ve seen a great unit and a tight-knit group, and I think that’s shown on the pitch in the two games that I’ve been here.

“It definitely doesn’t feel like a new patchwork squad or anything like that, the squad feels fully ready to go and ready to compete in the Championship.”

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Blackburn Rovers will be a “tough” game for Ipswich Town

Furlong enjoyed a stellar evening on his Ipswich debut against Sheffield United last time out, registering his first goal contribution in an Ipswich shirt with his assist for Philogene’s third.

Blackburn sit equal on Ipswich with six points from their opening five games, and as Furlong faces his former Baggies boss in Ismael, the experienced Championship defender has also warned his Tractor Boys teammates that Rovers will be another “tough” test.

“I’ve played them already,” Furlong added. “A tough opponent, like to get involved and get stuck in, so they’re going to be a very good team.

“People say it all the time, there’s no easy game in the Championship and it sounds cliché but it really is, anyone can beat anyone on the day.

“Travelling away to Blackburn is not going to be an easy game so we’ll prepare right and we’ll see where it leaves us.”

Ipswich have got the better of Blackburn over the years, and McKenna will be hoping to continue that trend and his side’s winning run following their comprehensive victory over the Blades.