Adama Traoré strikes for Fulham to deny Ipswich first Premier League win | Premier League

If Kieran McKenna is far too professional to have treated Ipswich’s opening two fixtures as acclimatisation to the Premier League, here was a first realistic opportunity to lay a marker. After Liverpool, after Manchester City, Fulham was a truer litmus test. And though the wins will have to come sooner rather than later, the conclusion from a hard-fought, helter-skelter draw in which Ipswich were often the better team is that they have the talent and spirit to stay up.

McKenna has received the backing to achieve that objective. Ed Sheeran spent Saturday in Sofia but maintained his presence as club sponsor with heavy rotation on Portman Road’s PA system and video screens. It isn’t just the Gallagher brothers who can crash a web server. As an investor in the club, what have Suffolk’s pop hobbit’s royalties been spent on? McKenna blooded a number of signings, on-loan Kalvin Phillips making an impressive first start in midfield, Chiedozie Ogbene’s speed employed down the wing.

Ipswich’s promotion through two divisions came via attacking principles. There is no sense McKenna will be surrendering them. He fielded four in attack, Ogbene off the right, Sam Szmodics, on the other flank, with Omari Hutchinson buzzing behind the effervescent Liam Delap.

McKenna’s opposing manager has shown a mixture of adventure and grit can establish a club. This is Fulham’s third season since promotion, and a measure of their establishment as a top-division club was a bench rich in Premier League experience, including new signings Joachim Andersen and Sander Berge.

Fulham, unchanged from beating Leicester last week, were first to exert pressure, Kenny Tete’s shot blocked after Adama Traoré made the first of many attempts to get at Leif Davis, the left-back’s defensive shortcomings pinpointed as a weakness. The reason for Davis being in the team was soon made explicit in his contribution to Delap’s goal, intercepting a pass, zipping down the wing, before setting up his teammate to make his run. If Bernd Leno should have saved, the goal precipitated an explosion of noise from the home fans. Delap might have had a swift second but could only head wide as Fulham wobbled.

That it was Davis who left Traoré unmarked for Fulham’s equaliser, converting Antonee Robinson’s cross for his first goal of the season, showed the wisdom of Silva’s approach and that McKenna may have to find a means to protect the full-back; there is something of the Trent Alexander-Arnold conundrum about the Wallsend Boys’ Club product, a delight going forward, a very possible liability in defence.

Davis wasn’t the only weak point; Ipswich were also vulnerable to the crossed ball from their right side. Rodrigo Muniz forced Arijanet Muric into a low save. A highly entertaining half closed out with Leno making a fingertip save from Ogbene’s header after Phillips, seeking form and regular football, reminded of his ability with a strafing delivery. After lost years at Manchester City and last season at West Ham, the former England anchor looked more comfortable than for a long while. And as his influence grew, Emile Smith Rowe’s faded, with Ipswich captain Sam Morsy, a player who delivers energy where he lacks balletic grace, offering full commitment to the cause in screening defence and bulldozing forward when the moment came.

Ipswich went for the win from the first kicks of the second half. Delap might not be the deadliest finisher in football history but his hard-running style was a sincere problem for Fulham. He ran himself down to the point of exhaustion and forced Leno into a good save after recovering what looked a lost cause. Eventually, Fulham created their own chances, two falling to Smith Rowe in quick succession, only for Ipswich defenders to hurl themselves in the way.

Had Ipswich blown themselves out? Delap threw himself forward, and narrowly failed to send Ogbene clear on goal. Phillips left the field with 20 to play to an ovation. Smith Rowe also departed, Berge coming on as Silva sought to lock down midfield. Fulham were at last able to enjoy time on the ball, Raul Jimenez, one of those experienced subs, going closest. Ipswich went after the three points, too, Hutchinson being denied the best of number of snatched opportunities, the back gate often left open. If they are to survive, then this is the way McKenna has chosen.