Ipswich Town opened their 2025 account in the Premier League with a hotly contested 2-2 draw away at Fulham, with a staggering three penalties across the course of the thrilling 90 minutes.
If it wasn’t for Raul Jimenez’s second spot-kick of the day – which was awarded deep into added time – the Tractor Boys would have been boasting back-to-back wins in the top flight, which is an unheard-of feat for the newly promoted side.
Yet, that precious win would frustratingly slip through their fingers to now leave them in the relegation spaces on goal difference, but Liam Delap could certainly come off the pitch proud of his efforts again.
Top Ipswich performers at Fulham
Delap would confidently tuck away his side’s only penalty of the game after Sammie Szmodics’ first-half opener, with the ex-Manchester City striker making sure he leapt for joy when celebrating with the away end after his effort beat Bernd Leno.
He must have been fully expecting that to be enough to gift his side another well-needed three points after he had originally won the penalty via a tricky surge into the danger area, only for it not to be that way.
Away from just Delap, Szmodics also deserves plenty of credit for being in the right place at the right time to fire his side ahead courtesy of a generous deflection, whilst Nathan Broadhead also impressed going forward with four successful dribbles tallied up.
Even the Tractor Boys defence stood firm for most of the contest, as Jacob Greaves won four duels in the heart of the back five, but there was one notable underperformer for Kieran McKenna’s men who let his side down with an often reckless display.
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Sam Morsy's numbers vs Fulham
It was the Ipswich captain who gave the Cottagers their first way back into the enthralling contest from the spot after a cynical foul from the Egyptian on an advancing Harry Wilson was initially waved away by the referee, only for VAR to intervene.
That was the tale of Sam Morsy’s game throughout, with the ageing midfielder winning just two of his seven duels on the day as a rash individual in the middle, meaning he lost out on 71% of his duels in total.
Minutes played
90
Touches
41
Accurate passes
31/33 (94%)
Dribbled past
2x
Fouls
3
Total duels won
2/7
Although the usually dependable 33-year-old did misplace just two of his 33 passes on the day, his calmness with the ball at his feet wasn’t present in every aspect of his showing at Craven Cottage, with three fouls given up across his topsy-turvy 90 minutes, on top of allowing himself to be dribbled past two times when the hosts broke forward with pace to burn.
Unfortunately for the Tractor Boys stalwart, this isn’t the only time he has looked off the pace of the game in recent matches, with just two duels also won at Molineux back in December, but that display was ultimately forgiven as a jubilant 2-1 victory was served up come full-time.
McKenna will know he cannot have Morsy be this overzealous in games to come, with the former Manchester United coach no doubt also having a word with Leif Davis, who saw his own tenacity get the better of him too when clattering into Jimenez at the death.
Of course, the Ipswich boss will want committed displays all-round, but if it wasn’t for Delap delivering the goods once more, faces such as Morsy could have cost the Premier League underdogs even more dearly in West London.
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