Ipswich Town latest: Liverpool and Man Utd talk involving Kieran McKenna, Middlesbrough player wanted | OneFootball

Ipswich Town suffered a bump in their bid for promotion over the weekend as they were beaten 1-0 by arch-rivals Norwich City.

The Tractor Boys went into the game in good form, winning their last three games in a row, with their latest being the epic 3-2 victory over Southampton.

But as always, form seems to go out the window in derby games, and Norwich, who have now won four of the last five games, took the spoils.

That defeat for Kieran McKenna’s side was their sixth of the Championship campaign, and it now means they have dropped a place to second spot, a point behind Leicester City, who have a game in hand, but are still a point clear of Leeds United.

Ipswich don’t have to wait long to put that result right, as they host Watford at Portman Road on Wednesday evening, but as we wait for that game, here at Football League World, we have looked at the latest news coming out of the club…

Carlton Palmer on Kieran McKenna's links to Manchester United and Liverpool

Former England midfielder Carlton Palmer believes Kieran McKenna would take the manager’s jobs at Manchester United or Liverpool should he be offered either position.

McKenna is currently overseeing another potential promotion for Ipswich Town this season, and that doesn’t seem to have gone unnoticed.

It was reported by Football Insider last week that Manchester United have a concrete interest in the manager, with there being admirers of his work at Old Trafford, as the club still weighs up the future of current boss Erik ten Hag.

Meanwhile, Peterborough United chairman Darragh MacAnthony has tipped McKenna to be a candidate for the Liverpool job, stating he could be a ‘dark horse’ to replace Jürgen Klopp at the end of the campaign.

Palmer has spoken to FLW about those rumours, and he believes the Ipswich boss would take either opportunity.

He exclusively told FLW: “Kieran McKenna, Ipswich Town’s manager, has been linked with both the Manchester United and the Liverpool job. He is seen as an outsider for both.

“McKenna has impressed as being head coach of Ipswich, now on the verge of maybe completing back-to-back promotions, getting Ipswich promoted from League One to the Championship, and are now on the verge of getting Ipswich promoted to the Premier League.

“There is no coincidence that the work he has done at Ipswich hasn’t gone unnoticed by both of these football clubs. He has done a fantastic job. He is a former coach of Manchester United.

“I think it wouldn’t be too soon for him, he’s done a fantastic job, and the recruitment he has done has been magnificent. The job I would think that would appeal to him more would be Liverpool because Jürgen Klopp is leaving a very, very good team at the end of the season. Whereas with Manchester United, it’s an exciting project that is going to happen under Sir Jim Radcliffe, but that is going to take time because the team needs rebuilding. They are a long, long way short of being able to challenge for the Premier League.

“But it’s not too soon at all, and I'm not surprised that the top clubs are looking at him. Now would he stay at Ipswich if Ipswich are promoted? Yes, he’s got the backers that are financially backing him, but the opportunity to manage two giant clubs like Manchester United and Liverpool would prove too difficult for him to turn down if they came knocking.”

Chris Sutton picks Kieran McKenna as manager of the season

Former Norwich City striker Chris Sutton has picked out Ipswich boss Kieran McKenna as his manager of the season in the Championship.

This comes despite the Tractor Boys suffering a defeat to their arch rivals on Saturday and losing their place at the top of the table.

Sutton stated that Ipswich have had a brilliant season, and McKenna is his manager of the season, given that they have only just come up from League One.

Sutton said on Sky Sports, via East Anglian Daily Times: “It's a sore one from Ipswich's perspective. Norwich is a derby game but, essentially, it's what happens next, and it's how they respond.

“I was a little bit surprised in the interview that he (McKenna) basically said the team looked fatigued. It was a derby game and the team, and the players should get up for it.

"He has been phenomenal. It is now about trying to see it through, and it is one hell of a race that we have got on."

Ipswich are among a host of teams looking at a potential deal for Middlesbrough goalkeeper Seny Dieng.

That is according to The Telegraph, which reports that the goalkeeper has interest from the Premier League, Championship, and abroad.

It is stated that Newcastle United are looking at the shot stopper as well as Crystal Palace from the top flight. While Sevilla are said to be keeping an eye on the Senegalese international as well as Ipswich.

The Tractor Boys may be in the market for a goalkeeper this summer, as Vaclav Hladky’s current deal expires at the end of this season and Christian Walton has fallen out of favour at the club.

Dieng only joined Boro in the summer after spending a long period of time at Queens Park Rangers.