Mick McCarthy says this is the toughest time of his three-year Ipswich Town managerial career.

The Blues lost 3-0 at Hull City tonight to make it just six points gained from a possible 24. Having finished in the play-off places last season and gone top of the table early on in this campaign, Town are down to 11th in the Championship table.

Asked how this current situation compares to the early days of his time in charge at Portman Road, he said: “It’s worse for me this because at that time we were scrapping to get out of the relegation zone, which we did, and we were always upwardly mobile.

“I’ve now supposedly got a better squad, more players, better quality players, had a really good start, but we’ve just had a really bad time for four or five weeks.

“So, yeah, it’s not pleasant at the moment.”

Reflecting on tonight’s game, he said: “The plan worked for the first half an hour, very much so. Then we let our guard down.

“Listen, they put a great cross in but he shouldn’t have been able to get into that position and I think we should do better at the far post.

“The second goal, we’re in possession of the ball and we lose it very, very softly.

“That changed the dynamic of my mood, my team talk and my decisions at half-time. At 1-0 we were still in the game, but 2-0 killed us all off a bit.”

Meanwhile, the Blues have been hit by the news that Cole Skuse and David McGoldrick have joined Ryan Fraser, Tommy Oar, Jay Tabb, Teddy Bishop and Luke Hyam in the treatment room.

“I didn’t tell the whole truth yesterday when you asked if everybody was going to be fit but I didn’t want to be giving my hand away,” said McCarthy.

“Skusey has a bad ankle and Didzy (McGoldrick) has got a sore groin. Those two would have been playing otherwise.

“We’ll see how they both are tomorrow and fingers crossed they’ll be alright.

“It’s been a tough old month in terms of performances, results and injuries. That does happen and we have to get back at it.”

Asked if he will look to the loan market, he said: “Possibly, but I’m not sure there will be loads of them around at the minute.”