Kieran McKenna’s Ipswich Town sit on top of the Championship with six games left to play after Monday’s dramatic win over Southampton.

The Tractor Boys came from 2-1 down to snatch a late winner with Jeremy Sarmiento poking home a 97th-minute winner after Nathan Broadhead tied the game with just over 20 minutes to go.

It’s a three-horse race for the two promotion spots heading into the run-in with third-placed Leicester City still holding a game in hand over the top two that could put them in pole position for the Championship trophy.

Ipswich face Norwich City, Watford, Middlesbrough, Hull City, Coventry and Huddersfield in their final six league games with Leicester and Leeds still to face fourth-placed Southampton.

“This is a great day for the football club, great day for those players playing against that level of team and if we were 12th in the league, it would still be a great day,” manager McKenna said, speaking to Sky Sports, after the game.

“Full stadium, playing with our identity, going toe-to-toe with Southampton and scoring a late winner. We need to enjoy these days and now we’ve got a derby on Saturday to look forward to as well.”

He added: “I don’t know what’s happening in terms of anything past the next game. Honestly, we don’t have the energy to pause, you can see the effort the boys are giving, I know everyone says it, but that group are giving every single drop of themselves out on the pitch. To spend any energy thinking about anything else then we wouldn’t have what we are going to need heading to go away to Carrow Road on Saturday.”

Leif Davis gifted Ipswich an early lead with a left-footed rocket into the top left corner only for Saints forward Che Adams to respond instantly to level the game again.

Just nine minutes later, Southampton took the lead with a neat finish from Adam Armstrong in a frantic start at Portman Road. After going close to an equaliser moments before, Broadhead provided the leveller with a low strike from just inside the box.

Southampton’s James Bree saw red in the 85th minute with Sarmiento providing the all-important winner when some clever footwork allowed him to toe-poke the ball past Irish goalkeeper Gavin Bazunu to send the Ipswich support into raptures in a win that could prove vital if McKenna’s side are going to play Premier League football next season.