Former Ipswich defender Mick Mills believes the club’s next league game against Leicester City is a game they “need to win”.

Kieran McKenna’s side are yet to be victorious in the Premier League this season.

Speaking to BBC Radio Suffolk’s Final Whistle, Mills said: “Our ultimate goal this season is to stay above three teams, if we manage to do that then it has been a great season.

“I would put Leicester as one of the possible ones we could maybe finish above. If we get it right and get the win we need, we move within two points of Leicester – that’s touching distance, and where we have to be.

“There’s a whole group of clubs we have to make sure we’re close to. There’s eight or nine teams now that won’t be in the relegation fight – they’re in a different world.

“But there are teams that are going to be down there, and Leicester are one of them – that is why that is important.”

Unlike the Tractor Boys who have a week to prepare for the game, Leicester face Manchester United at Old Trafford in the Carabao Cup first, and Mills thinks the weekend’s league fixture will resemble a cup game.

“Next week is like a cup-tie between two teams, it’s a different kettle of fish which we need to make sure we win,” he said.

“Let’s get out there and really knock them over and really beat them well, make sure we get the three points and pull them back close to us.

“We have to make sure we’re better than enough teams to keep us up – it’s going to be a real dogfight.”

Listen to the full episode on BBC Sounds