Ipswich Town star makes Leeds United declaration and hits back at 'noise' with team prediction

Ipswich were only promoted back to the second tier last season as League One runners-up yet Kieran McKenna’s impressive side have picked up a record number of points to be level with Leicester City at the top of the division and only second on goal difference.

Ipswich could have moved 13 points clear of third-placed Leeds with victory in Saturday’s lunchtime derby at home to Norwich City but the contest ended in a 2-2 draw, offering the Whites the chance to trim the gap. Leeds then led through a Crysencio Summerville strike in Saturday afternoon’s hosting of Coventry City only to be pegged back by a Bobby Thomas header in a game that ended in a 1-1 draw.

The Tractor Boys consequently remain ten points ahead of Leeds who Ipswich will now take on at Elland Road next Saturday lunchtime before facing leaders Leicester on Boxing Day at Portman Road. Assessing the promotion race, Burns has hit back at claims that Ipswich are yet to play “anyone good” but admitted that both of his side’s next two games are massive.

The Wales international winger says his side are determined to take matters step by step but predicted that his impressive team are “seriously going somewhere good."

"Everyone keeps saying we haven't played anyone good and it's all momentum (from last season), stuff like that, it's all a lot of noise,” said Burns, as quoted by the BBC. "But the next two games are massive for us in terms of the promotion race, not that we want to talk too much about the whole promotion thing. Last year, we didn't talk about promotion going forwards, it was just step-by-step, game-by-game and that's the same process now."

Reflecting on Saturday’s draw, Burns declared: “I think the fans can take a lot of positives. I know we didn't get the win everyone so desperately wants but when the dust settles and everyone looks back on it properly, everyone will realise we are seriously going somewhere good."