Ipswich Town left-back Leif Davis is keen to rewrite the record books when it comes to assist stats this season.

The 24-year-old set-up 14 goals as the Blues secured automatic promotion from League One in 2022/23.

And he's already on 10 for this campaign, with Kieran McKenna's men currently sitting second in the Championship.

The highest number of Championship assists produced from a defender in a single season is 14 - Kieran Trippier (Burnley, 13/14) and Barry Douglas (Wolves,17/18) - meaning Davis needs five more from the final 18 games to set a new benchmark. 

“I just have to keep it going now and try to get as many as I can to help the team score goals and win games, so hopefully I can beat my record from last year," said the Newcastle-born full-back.

East Anglian Daily Times: Ipswich Town left-back Leif Davis has provided 10 Championship assists already this season.Ipswich Town left-back Leif Davis has provided 10 Championship assists already this season. (Image: Pagepix Ltd)

“People have mentioned to me about the record for assists from a defender and I know Barry Douglas (a former Leeds teammate), who holds it, who has messaged me about it saying ‘you’d better not beat it’.

“Obviously that’s something I’d love to do but it’s about making chances and goals for the team, so it doesn’t really matter who scores the goals and gets the assists.”

The most recent of Davis' assists came when he delivered a teasing wide free-kick for Conor Chaplin to head home the winner against Sunderland at Portman Road.

With that the third time he'd created a goal directly from a set-piece this season, Davis said: “It’s an important part of the game, we know that.

East Anglian Daily Times: Three of Leif Davis' assists this season have come from set-pieces.Three of Leif Davis' assists this season have come from set-pieces. (Image: Steve Waller)

“It’s important to attack them well and also defend them well, which is something we’ve done a good job of this season.

"We have struggled to score from them at times this season and have maybe not got as many as we might have liked, so hopefully we can go on and score more.”

Speaking after that Sunderland win, Blues boss McKenna said: "When games are tight, so often set-pieces are the thing that makes the difference.

"We haven't scored one in a little while (in the league). And the only two games we've lost since August - Leeds and West Brom away - have been games where we've conceded early from a corner.

"So we know in big games set-plays make a massive difference."

 

LEIF DAVIS ASSISTS 23/24

Sunderland (a) - Shot from outside the box deflects in off Nathan Broadhead

Sheff Weds (a) - Cut-back to Conor Chaplin from byline

Hull (h) - Deep switch to Wes Burns + square pass to Chaplin

Preston (h) - Low corner picks out Chaplin

Plymouth (h) - Super pass up the line puts George Hirst away

Rotherham (a) - Wide free-kick on the right rolled back to Sam Morsy on edge of the box

Millwall (h) - Measured cross on the run down the left headed in by Broadhead

Coventry (h) - Switch pass (dummied by Chaplin) leads to Burns' trivela goal

Sunderland (h) - Teasing free-kick from left headed in by Chaplin