Kieran McKenna said he is excited after Ipswich Town were handed an opening day clash with Liverpool for the 2024-25 Premier League campaign.
Ipswich return to the Premier League for the first time since 2001-02 next season and will host Liverpool at Portman Road in their first fixture on Saturday August 17th.
The Tractor Boys have been handed a tough start after the release of the fixtures for the season, with the clash with Liverpool followed by a trip to face Premier League champions Manchester City.
McKenna, however, is relishing the challenge and has backed Portman Road to create a fantastic atmosphere when Liverpool – under the management of Arne Slot for the first time – arrive on the opening weekend.
“It’s a fantastic start. Everyone’s going to be so excited,” McKenna said to Sky Sports.
“Two of the biggest clubs in world football. It’s a home start against Liverpool. It brings it all to life and it’s an amazing start for us.
“We’re delighted to have a home game first. We know the atmosphere that has been created over the last few years at this stadium and we know it will carry on, even more so this year.
“It’s great to have a home start and to have one of the best teams in the league is for sure a big challenge. of course, they have a new manager but we are not going to underestimate the scale of the challenges we are going to have all season.
“Certainly, Liverpool will be that on the first day but at the same time, it’s great to have a home start and the atmosphere will be fantastic.
“The players will be as ready as they possibly can be and it’s a game we’ll really look forward to.
“We know we’ve done some amazing work at the football club over the last couple of years and we’ve had a really consistent group that has come up now through two divisions.
“We have to carry the best elements of what we’ve done over the last couple of years but we also know we need to improve in every department, and of course, recruitment is one of those and the club is working really hard to add to the squad and give the group of players that have been with us more help.
“We’re going to need that. It’s been a busy summer and it continues to be a busy summer. We’re going to have to work really hard and the club are working hard in every department.
“It’s going to be about building on the foundations that we’ve laid in place over the last couple of years, but we know we’ll have to go to a different level in all departments.”
