The journey from euphoria to desolation took 193 seconds for Ipswich. Wild jubilation rolled down all three tiers of the away section at the Etihad Stadium when Sammie Szmodics put the newcomers ahead at the champions, Manchester City. Back in the big time after 22 years. And then it was gone: the ecstasy, the hope and the game. Brutal, this Premier League business.
It can be a bad idea to aggravate the best team in the land but, for a fleeting moment, Ipswich fans could lose themselves in a goal that maintained their phenomenal rise under Kieran McKenna. Szmodics, on his first Premier League start after a £9m move from Blackburn, stole in behind a square City defence and steered Ben Johnson’s pass beyond Ederson.
