Arsenal legend and Sky Sports pundit Paul Merson has named Kieran McKenna as his Manager of the Year, highlighting how Ipswich have kept up with three relegated Premier League side in the Championship promotion race.

The Blues currently sit in second place, three points behind Leicester City and two points ahead of Leeds United. Their current total of 78 points would be enough to finish fourth in last season’s table, but they still have 10 games to play.

Town’s six-game winning streak has certainly caught the eye, and Merson has been really impressed by what he’s seen from them so far this season.

“What Ipswich are doing is mind-blowing,” he said on Sky Sports’ Soccer Special following Tuesday’s 3-2 win against Bristol City. “I don’t think people understand what they’re doing.

“To do what they’re doing on their budget compared to the big boys that have come down on parachute payments, to take it this far down the line is amazing, absolutely amazing.

“For me, he’s Manager of the Year.”

The race for a top-two finish is really hotting up. Despite sitting behind Town, Leeds are the heavy favourites to win promotion alongside Leicester, although the Foxes’ have endured a blip that has seen them dragged back into the fight.

Merson is adamant that they’ve got more than enough to secure an immediate return to the top flight, but he was quick to stress that Southampton’s form could see them fall adrift of the top teams if they don’t improve quickly.

“It’s a lot of points in this league where there’s a lot of winnable games,” he said about Leicester’s lead at the top. “It’s not the Premier League, there’s a few give-me’s, I’m not being disrespectful.

“If they turn up and they play to their ability, they go up for me. They’re five points clear, that’s a lot of points, and these games do flick away quickly. They can’t afford another three games like they did.

“The only thing – and I’ve been in this league a couple of times and got out of it a couple of times – those Saturday - Tuesday or Saturday - Wednesday - Saturday games are killers. You take two points off them and it spins around.

“I think Leicester will just have too much. They’ve had their little blip, the other teams are flying along. Leicester won five on the trot, so did Leeds, 10 of 11 or whatever. Sooner or later, that will come.

“Look at Southampton – 25 games without defeat. I watched Hull absolutely destroy them and they’ve won one game since then. Hopefully everyone is alright and no one is hurt in the fire, but Southampton needed that game.

“They don’t play now, all of a sudden Ipswich win another game. Leicester go and beat them in a couple of weeks and they’re completely and utterly out of it.

“I’d be shocked if Leicester didn’t go up."