Ipswich Town boss makes complaint over Leeds United goal but accepts compliment in thriller

Leeds’ opponents scored the game’s first and last goals on a topsy-turvy afternoon at Portman Road, which saw the Whites pick up their first league win under Daniel Farke.

Speaking after the game, Ipswich boss McKenna acknowledged the gulf in quality between his newly-promoted side and the tens of millions of pounds worth of attacking talent at his opposite number’s disposal, perceiving the Tractor Boys’ ability to go toe-to-toe as a positive to take from their defeat.

The Northern Irishman did however take issue with Leeds’ fourth and final goal of the afternoon, scored by Luis Sinisterra in the 75th minute of the game.

McKenna felt midfielder Sam Morsy had been fouled in the build-up which left a ‘hole’ in the middle of the park which half-time substitute Jamie Shackleton exploited, threading the ball into Sinisterra’s path for the Colombian to dispatch Leeds’ fourth of the afternoon.

"I have to say the fourth goal was a clear foul for me, against Sam Morsy,” McKenna told reporters.

“I think if it’s anyone else apart from Sam Morsy he gets a free-kick. I thought it was a clear foul as he wins a header and then gets emptied out, which means there’s a big hole in the middle of the pitch where Sammy would have been.

"I think that was a key moment at 3-2, we’ve just brought on fresh legs and I think we were really prepared to push for an equaliser for the last 20 minutes and the fourth goal certainly took the sting out of that comeback,” McKenna added.

Referee Bobby Madley did not deem Ethan Ampadu’s aerial challenge on Morsy to be an infringement and allowed play to carry on, leading to United’s clincher.

"It’s remarkable really, to be honest,” the ex-Manchester United youth team coach said, in reference to the calibre of Ipswich’s squad competing with the likes of Leeds this season.

“There’s an outside perspective that we will compete with Leeds this season, I’m not saying that, that’s not our goal internally but from an external point of view. That’s a remarkable perspective on it.

"I guess we can only take it as a compliment from that to be an external narrative,” he added.

Leeds have moved up to 12th in the Championship standings following their victory in the seven-goal thriller.