Mick McCarthy praised his players at both ends of the pitch after watching his Town side beat Brighton at Portman Road.

David McGoldrick took his tally to five goals for the campaign with a first-half brace as Blues moved into the top 10 with a 2-0 win. 

“Didzy knows he is loved here – he was last season. He gets well looked after and he has been terrific for us today as he has been all season,” the Town boss told the Club website. 

“He’s a top player. He was excellent for us last season and he’s gone up another level this year.”

Mick was equally pleased with the clean sheet, adding: “The defence will be delighted with that. 

“I’ve been badgering them a bit – and it’s not just down to them – about keeping clean sheets and I’m pleased for them. They’ve worked really hard as a unit. 

“That collective spirit is there. You can see that from the substitutes. All three contributed today. There was no sulking about not playing, they all went on and put in a good shift. If you do that, you’ve always got a chance.”