Leeds United rivals Ipswich backed to bounce back after 'uncharacteristic' loss with key man missing

Former Ipswich Town favourite Luke Chambers is convinced his former side’s 'uncharacteristic' defeat to Norwich City at Carrow Road won't define their season. The Tractor Boys, who entered the weekend sitting on top of the Championship table, lost 1-0 on the road to their local rivals with a Marcelino Nunez free-kick being the difference on the day.

As such, Ipswich have left the door open for Leeds United and Leicester City, who take on Coventry City and Birmingham City respectively this afternoon, to overtake them in the Championship promotion race. Kieran McKenna's side run the risk of dropping out of the automatic promotion spots altogether this weekend, then.

With five games to go, it remains to be seen how costly the loss in Norfolk could be, and while Chambers has no complaints about the result, he believes there are still plenty of twists and turns yet.

"You can't argue really with the result in the end," Chambers said while working as a pundit on Sky Sports. "It's one of them, they'll be really disappointed but it doesn't define their season at all.

"Yes, it gives the bragging rights to the local rivals but they're still sitting top of the league with results to come and five games to go. Who knows what the next five games will bring.

"It was uncharacteristic. They've obviously turned up to play their own game but I don't think they ever really got out, they controlled the game, Norwich. Not once did Ipswich get in behind, which I have seen them do this season and maybe that was missing Wes Burns on the right with the pace he brings to the team. They played into Norwich's hands.

"They'll be really disappointed in the way the game has turned out today and they'll see it as a missed opportunity because Norwich allowed them to play but the use of the ball in key moments."

Ipswich will look to bounce back on Wednesday night when they take on Watford at Portman Road and bounce back is exactly what Chambers expects them to do.

"They're not going to dwell on it, they'll put it away until the next meeting, if there is one next year, and they'll prepare for Wednesday," he added. "There'll be disappointment all the way back down the road for the fans and the lads will be disappointed, taking a defeat against your bitter rivals is not what you want.

"They'll prepare, keep a level head and work on the things they can control and what went well today, there won't be loads but they'll brush that aside pretty quickly because they've had disappointments, they'll be fine."