The Blues won the previous clash between the two teams, beating the Canaries 3-1 at Portman Road back in October, but they haven’t tasted victory in Norfolk since 2006.
Taking three points at Carrow Road this time would see Town do the double over Norwich for the first time since 1992/93, crucially keeping their automatic promotion charge on track.
Marcelino Nunez enjoyed the last win! (Image: Steve Waller)
“I think it’s one to really look forward to,” McKenna said. “The last one was my favourite, I think I’d say that! I’ve had two that I enjoyed, even the first one at Portman Road was a really good occasion, a good game.
“We didn’t enjoy the one at Carrow Road, so hopefully we’ll enjoy this one more.
“It’s always a great atmosphere. It’s two fanbases who are really passionate about their clubs. We get fantastic support at Portman Road and when we go there.
“We’re delighted to have broken the record that stood for too long with a game earlier in the season, but now we know we’ve got another fantastic opportunity.
“It’s going to be tough, but it’s a fantastic opportunity to go and try to win at their stadium, which would be brilliant for the club.
“We’re all, of course, really, really motivated to try and do that on Saturday.”
Town fans enjoy the win at Portman Road in October (Image: Steve Waller)
There was a jubilant atmosphere in the previous clash as the home fans cheered Ipswich over the line, ending their 16-year wait for a derby win. This game, away from home, will have a different feeling, and McKenna has been keen to emphasise that.
“I think you do need to make the players aware of it,” he admitted.
“When you’re preparing for every game, you try and give context to it and make sure the players know – especially for the away games – what the crowd might be like, what the stadium’s like, what the pitch is like, what the context for the other team is. We’ve made the players really aware.
“We maybe felt some similarities two years ago when we went there in a season that we were really pushing for automatic promotion, but we know that they’re going to be incredibly motivated to try and stop us in terms of getting the points on Saturday.
“It was a really fierce atmosphere when we played there last time and we’ve made the players aware that it’s going to be that and more.
“But these things are something to really enjoy in your career, whether it’s as a player or a coach or a manager, or even supporters. You want these rivalries, you want these big games, you want the passionate crowds and sometimes going away from home and standing up to that.
“If you’re aware of the support behind you, if you can get the result on those days, to be honest, I think they’re best ones.”
Norwich were struggling towards the bottom of the division when the last derby came around. Now, they have eyes on gatecrashing the play-offs under new boss Philippe Clement, who has turned them into one of the in-form sides in the Championship.
Norwich City’s Pelle Mattsson celebrates during their win at Millwall. They have been resurgent under Philippe Clement (Image: PA Sport)
Asked whether they had changed a lot since Liam Manning was sacked, McKenna replied: “In some ways, yes. In some ways, no.
“It’s clear, obviously, that the manager has gone in and done a really good job and they’ve picked up excellent results. Over a good period of time now, they’ve been one of the best teams in the division.
“But they weren’t a very bad team at the start of the season, if I’m honest. Liam didn’t get the results at the start of the season and didn’t get the momentum, but that can happen in this division. They lost lots of tight games on fine margins.
“In the end, they didn’t start the season well enough so they made a change, but it’s not like they were a bad team at that point.
“Tactically, when you look at them, of course, they’re doing some things well, but there’s a lot of things the same from when we played them early in the season. A lot of the same principles, of course.
“They signed quite a few players in the summer. Some of them have more time now to settle, the same as some of our players, to be honest. They’re a little bit further along the line.
“They’re playing with more confidence and they’ve picked up good results. We know we’re facing a really good side, but as I said, at no stage did I think they were a really bad team.
“We had to work really hard and play really well to beat them in the first game and certainly we’re going to have to do the same one more this time.”
Town are seven games away from the Premier League (Image: Ross Halls)
Heading into the last derby, McKenna said that the pressure was on Norwich to defend their lengthy unbeaten streak, more than Ipswich. Does he feel the same way going into this one?
“I don’t think about it like that,” he stated.
“I’m sure I could riddle up an answer to say Norwich, and Philippe could probably riddle up an answer to say us.
“I could talk about the fact that, when I signed, we were in League One and Norwich were in the Premier League, and where the last few seasons have been and the records, and the fact that we’ve got the opportunity to break a second record now. But they could flip it on the other side.
“I think this time of the season, when you’re going for something like we are, there’s external pressure on every game. There’s going to be big external pressure on Portsmouth on Tuesday night. On Middlesbrough next weekend, that’s the way it is.
“Again, that’s something you have to enjoy. When we have a derby match, we know how much it means to your supporters. Even if we weren’t going for something in the league, even if we were in mid-table, we know how much it means to the supporters and you want to make them proud.
“That brings extra motivation to the game. You can call it extra pressure, but really it’s extra motivation. I think our focus is just on ourselves, on our next game.
“You acknowledge and recognise the extra bit that this game means to people but also we realise that within the context of our season, it’s another chance to win three points, which at this stage of the season is really important.
“To do that last weekend, this Saturday, on Tuesday night, it’s about delivering the performance. That’s where we put our energy and our focus into, not what the perception is of us but what the perception is of them.
“We’re looking forward to the game. It’s a great fixture for us. I think we’ve got an awful lot to gain on Saturday, to be honest, and our focus is just on how we’re going to try and do that.”