Ipswich Town take on Burton Albion, at the Pirelli Stadium, tonight (7.45pm). STUART WATSON previews the action.

THREE STRAIGHT WINS?

Seven points from the opening three games puts Ipswich Town top of the early League One table.

We've been here before, of course.

In the first season after relegation, Paul Lambert's side were at the summit of the third-tier standings as deep as 11 games in (remember those hand-holding post-match celebrations up at Fleetwood?)

The following year, back-to-back wins against Blackpool (4-1 away) and Accrington (2-0 at home) saw the Blues set the pace after six matches.

So we know, from very recent experience, that fast starts can count for nothing.

This season it does *feel* different. There's a settled squad with a clear game plan. Good performances have underpinned the results. You don't sense that the first bump in the road will see the wheels nuts begin to loosen.

Now it's up to this squad to prove they can be a winning machine.

Victory tonight would make it three on the spin in League One. You have to go back to March 2021, when caretaker boss Matt Gill backed up victories against Hull and Doncaster with three points at Accrington, for the last time that happened.

Town's longest win streak in League One is four games, which culminated in that aforementioned game at Highbury Stadium back in October 2019.

For context, everyone who finished in the top four last season had at least one four-game+ win streak at some stage.

Riding a positive wave for as long as possible is the name of the game in this division.

Hopefully, Ipswich's current crest has got a way to travel before breaking.

A DIFFERENT CHALLENGE

In Bolton, Forest Green and MK Dons, Town have so far faced three teams that like to get the ball down and play.

In truth, McKenna probably prefers it when teams try to go toe-to-toe with his team in that manner.

What could be a bigger challenge is when opponents sit a lot deeper and play a lot more physically. Plenty of times last season we saw Town frustrated in those sort of stop-start affairs.

Indeed, we had a reminder of that just last week when Colchester United were able to nick a goal against the run of play and then defend for their lives to progress in the Carabao Cup (granted, that was a much-changed Town team).

Burton are likely to be that sort of side.

Town may have beaten them five times out of six since dropping into League One, but they have often proved awkward opponents.

The Brewers' approach is a simple one - put the ball in the other team's box as quickly and often as possible and hope that eventually they crack. It requires a lot of discipline and concentration to defend against.

"Burton will try and make the game very difficult for us - they will try and impose their will on the game," said McKenna. "We're certainly going to have to stand up to that.

"I think they got four goals at the weekend (in a 4-4 draw at Accrington Stanley) and they're usually a real attacking threat who create a lot of chances.

"Going from MK at home in front of a big crowd, to Burton away, who will be a really aggressive side, in the space of four days is probably the perfect example of how varied this league is.

"We know what's coming, we've prepared for it in the off season and we have to stand up and be ready for it."

East Anglian Daily Times: Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink was interviewed by Barnsley in the summer, but ultimately stayed on at Burton.Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink was interviewed by Barnsley in the summer, but ultimately stayed on at Burton. (Image: PA Wire/PA Images)

LEAKY BREWERS

All that said about Burton, it's an inescapable fact that they've made a poor start to this season.

The Staffordshire side lost 3-0 at Wycombe on the opening day, then were thrashed 4-0 on home turf by newly-promoted Bristol Rovers the following weekend.

League Two side Rochdale subsequently dumped them out of the Carabao Cup (2-0 at Spotland).

On Saturday, they were 3-0 and 4-2 up at Accrington. But two goals conceded beyond the 90th minute saw them come away with just a point.

That's 13 goals conceded in four games.

Manager Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink was interviewed by Barnsley in the summer, leaving a slightly sour taste in some Brewers fans' mouths.

Will their season stabilise or could things rapidly unravel? Time will tell.

East Anglian Daily Times: Will Kieran McKenna make many changes to his team at Burton tonight?Will Kieran McKenna make many changes to his team at Burton tonight? (Image: © Copyright Stephen Waller)

ANY CHANGES?

Cameron Burgess stepping in for the ill Luke Woolfenden at Forest Green aside, it's been the same Ipswich Town team which has lined up in the three league games so far.

It will be interesting to see if McKenna makes many, or indeed any, changes to his side tonight.

It is wise to give new boys Leif Davis, Marcus Harness and Freddie Ladapo a continued run and really bed into the patterns of play?

Given the intensity of the high press in Saturday's sunshine, is it wise to rest a few legs and utilise the squad's depth? The likes of Greg Leigh, Kyle Edwards, Tyreece John-Jules, Sone Aluko and Kayden Jackson are champing at the bit.

Might new signing Richard Keogh go into the team? Janoi Donacien's place looks assured, following his two assists at the weekend, but Luke Woolfenden has had a few sloppy moments at the start of this campaign, while George Edmundson has only recently come back from a nasty ankle injury.

East Anglian Daily Times: New signing Richard Keogh wasn't in the squad for Saturday's 3-0 win against MK Dons. Might he make his debut at Burton tonight?New signing Richard Keogh wasn't in the squad for Saturday's 3-0 win against MK Dons. Might he make his debut at Burton tonight? (Image: ITFC)

"You have to be mindful of the effort people have put in (against MK Dons), but we were able to sue the five subs so there wasn't many in the most high-demanding, explosive positions who did 90 minutes," said McKenna.

"I think we will have a good amount of players that are ready to go again.

"The opponent, how we want to set up, the type of game it's going to be, the condition that our boys are in and, at this stage of the season, utilising the squad and keeping everyone ready - we'll take all those factors into consideration when picking the team."

On Ladapo's wait for his first competitive goal for the club, the Blues boss added: "I have to say I thought Freddie's performance, all round, was excellent. He led the line, pressing was fantastic, back to goal was excellent, stretched the play whenever we needed. I think he's been excellent for us so far and is going to continue to improve for us. His chances will come and his goals will come.

"It's about imposing our style of play, imposing our patterns of play, getting lots of bodies in dangerous areas. If we do that then I think the goals will be shared across the squad. It doesn't matter who scores in any given game, it's about the team and everyone buying into that."