Morgan Whittaker justified Rob Edwards' trust by scoring his first goal for Middlesbrough in a chaotic 2-1 victory over Ipswich, helping the team return to the top of the Championship. Edwards had publicly supported Whittaker after fans criticized his substitution against Preston in September, and his faith was rewarded. Middlesbrough took the lead with an own goal by Cedric Kipre after Ipswich's George Hirst missed a penalty. Whittaker scored the second goal in the 55th minute, assisted by David Strelec. Ipswich managed to pull one back through Dara O'Shea, but it wasn't enough to change the outcome. This win ended Middlesbrough's three-match winless streak, while Ipswich missed the chance to move into the playoff zone.