Ipswich Town manager Kieran McKenna has urged supporters to back the players in the shirt as the club's search for a striker drags on.

George Hirst's hamstring surgery and Dane Scarlett's recall by Tottenham has left Kayden Jackson and Freddie Ladapo vying to be the leading man as the Blues look to hold onto second spot in the Championship.

Speaking ahead of tomorrow's clash with sixth-place Sunderland at Portman Road (5.30pm ko), McKenna said: "It's an area we want to add to, but I'd imagine maybe 80% of the clubs in the Championship are trying to add a forward or striker to their ranks though.

"There are only so many available, there are only so many available that are within our budget and most of those are currently involved with a team who don't want to lose them.

"The club are working hard to make additions in that area, but there's nothing that we've been successful with yet. We'll see how the next couple of weeks in the window go.

"The reality is there aren't many forwards on the market. Even if you weren't selective it's a very difficult window to sign a striker who would be anywhere near the level that you would want. If you look at how many strikers have moved in the window so far in the top two or three divisions in England I would imagine it would be very, very few.

"We have a pretty clear playing style, pretty clear profiles for the position and we want to attract players to the club that fit as many of the criteria as possible. In January, at times, you need to be a little bit more flexible and a little bit more adaptable in your thinking - and we are.

"Of course we can always adapt how we set the team up, but the goal is always to add players wo can fit your current playing style and contribute in the ways the team has so far been successful. So, again, that limits your selection a little bit."

The Blues boss continued: "What I will say and emphasise is that our focus and support has to be with the group that is here. We scored over 100 goals in the league last year not based off of one player. George has got six goals in the league this year, one of them a penalty. He's been a fantastic player for us, but the team isn't built on one player.

"It's up to us as a group internally to find solutions, find the best ways to attack, the best ways to defend and make sure that the team go out on the pitch well-prepared, ready to run and fight and give everything for the club.

"And I think it's up to everyone around the club, the supporters, to get behind the players who are in the shirt. I hope to see and would love to see Portman Road at its best tomorrow - that's the fans in full support, vocally, of the players on the pitch and the players on the pitch giving absolutely everything they can to represent the club well in our brave style. If we get that I'll be happy."

He added: "I'm certainly calm. The playing group have belief in the work that we've done over a long period of time and our ability to score goals, perform and pick up positive results. 

"Its a challenge when you're missing players - we're not just missing forwards, we're missing players in other positions too - but we'll continue to stick together as a group and I hope that everyone will continue to stick with us.

"Go to the stadium tomorrow full of optimism to hopefully see a great game of football between two good sides and an Ipswich team on a good trajectory playing good football. If we do all that, stick together, there's a good chance we'll get a result as well."

Meanwhile, McKenna remained tight-lipped on a PA report that Ipswich have had two bids - £1m and £1.5m - rejected by Blackburn for striker Sam Gallagher.

 “I think it’s clear by now, we’re not ever going to speculate on any player, let alone a player who is contracted with another club," he said.

“We have targets in the positions that we’re trying to acquire this January and those targets really are for us.”