Mick McCarthy believes Daryl Murphy should now be targeting 30 goals for the season after he scored twice in a 2-1 win at Fulham.
The result moved Ipswich to within two points of the Sky Bet Championship's automatic promotion places.Ipswich manager McCarthy also believes the 31-year-old Republic of Ireland forward has spectacularly shattered the perception that he is a 10-goal-a-season workhorse, as he continues to carry the goal burden for his promotion-chasing side.
Murphy moved his tally to 21 for the season having returned to the field in unmarked kit after suffering a bloodied nose in the process of heading Ipswich's fifth-minute opening goal, and McCarthy was full of praise for his contribution afterwards.
"He's got a sore one on his nose from when he headed it and he's done well," McCarthy said. "He head-butted Ryan Tunnicliffe I think but the nose doesn't really have an effect on anybody's skull does it?
"He's settled, he's got the number nine shirt and he's not been playing out wide left or right and he works damn hard in front of goal. He's been doing that work for two years and it's paying off.
"But let's not be lauding over him getting 21. Let's see if he can get 30. To be fair to him he's not sitting on his laurels, he's working hard at it. It's a great tally for him but we want more out of that.
"His all-round play has always been good, that's always been the same with me for two years. What he's done now is added goals to it. Everyone thinks 'Murph's alright. He does this and he does that and he'll get 10 goals a season.' He's doubled that tally already."