Adama Traore scores for Fulham to deny Ipswich a first ever Premier League win | Premier League

After Liverpool, Manchester City were the first realistic chance for Ipswich to lead the way. Fulham presented a more real test. And while wins will have to come sooner rather than later, the takeaway from a chaotic draw in which Ipswich were typically the better side is that Kieran McKenna's side have enough talent and spirit to survive the final. Premier League.

The Ipswich manager has received support to achieve that goal, some £110m. Ed Sheeran spent Saturday in Sofia but remained a presence; his current tour is an official club sponsor, his face and voice are heard a lot on the public broadcasting system at Portman Road. It's not just the Gallagher brothers who can crash a web server. As an investor in the club, what have the Suffolk pop hobbit's surplus royalties been spent on? McKenna has signed several players, on loan Kalvin Phillips makes an impressive first start In midfield, Chiedozie Ogbene's speed was used effectively down the wing.

“I think the players have come out of our first three games with more confidence,” McKenna said. “It's a huge jump, but they don't feel too far away.”

Ipswich's promotion to two divisions was achieved on the back of attacking principles. They don't look like letting up. McKenna has lined up four in attack: Ogbene on the right, Sammie Szmodics on the other flank and Omari Hutchinson behind goalscorer Liam Delap.

Marco Silva, McKenna’s rival manager, has shown that a mix of adventure and courage can establish a Premier League club. “They have shown ambition,” he said of Ipswich. “I have enormous respect for them.” This is Fulham’s third season since promotion, and one measure of their consolidation as a top-flight club was a bench rich with experience, including new signings Joachim Andersen and Sander Berge.

Fulham’s plan seemed to centre on Adama Traoré getting on to Leif Davis, the left-back’s defensive deficiencies becoming apparent. The reason Davis was in the Ipswich team soon became explicit in a key contribution to Delap’s goal, intercepting Andreas Pereira’s pass, racing down the touchline before providing a pass to his teammate. Had Bernd Leno been able to stop him, the goal precipitated an explosion of noise from the home fans. “A great moment,” McKenna said of Ipswich’s first Premier League goal at Portman Road in 22 years.

Delap might have had a second goal but could only head wide. The fact that it was Davis who left Traore unmarked for Fulham's equaliser, converting Antonee Robinson's cross, showed the wisdom of Silva's tactics and McKenna will have to find a way to protect Davis. There is something of the Trent Alexander-Arnold enigma in the Wallsend Boys product. He is a delight in attack but quite possibly a liability in defence.

An entertaining first half ended with Leno making a fingertip save from an Ogbene header after Phillips, in search of his form and consistent play, had reminded everyone of his innate ability with a thumping pass. After those lost years at Manchester City and last season’s moribund loan spell at West Ham, the former England prop looked more comfortable than he has in a long time. “He’s settled into the group really well and we’ve really enjoyed having him here,” McKenna said. As Phillips’ influence grew, that of Emile Smith Rowe faded, with Ipswich captain Sam Morsy offering deft, muscular support in the midfield battle.

Delap is not the most lethal finisher in the history of football, but his hard-running style was an honest problem for Fulham. “I’ve never doubted him,” said his manager. The 21-year-old ran himself into exhaustion and forced Leno into a fine save in the second half after recovering from a lost cause. Fulham created a few of their own chances, two of which fell to Smith Rowe in quick succession, but the Ipswich defenders managed to block them. “In the second half we were solid,” Silva said. “But it was harder to create.”

Phillips left the pitch 20 minutes from time to applause, and Smith Rowe also came on for Berge. Raul Jimenez, one of Fulham's veteran substitutes, came closest to scoring in the dying moments. Ipswich, meanwhile, desperately chased points but that first Premier League win eluded them, with Hutchinson having the best of the chances that slipped away. Meanwhile, his back goal was often left open; if Ipswich are to survive, these are the means McKenna has chosen.