Maidstone United goalkeeper Lucas Covolan expecting a busy day against an Ipswich Town side described as the ‘Man City of the Championship’

Maidstone goalkeeper Lucas Covolan expects to be busy against the “Manchester City of the Championship”.

The Brazilian, 32, will be the last line of defence for the Stones at Ipswich in Saturday’s FA Cup fourth-round tie.

He’s a man for the big occasion, even scoring in a National League play-off final for Torquay three years ago.

And they don’t come much bigger than facing a Tractor Boys side going for promotion to the Premier League at a packed Portman Road.

“Some people call them the Manchester City of the Championship because they move the ball very well,” said Covolan.

“They have very good players and if you’re not switched on it could be embarrassing for us.

“But, at the end of the day, it’s 11 v 11 and I hope we do a very good game, and you never know with the magic of the FA Cup.

“If everyone is switched on in their team it will be a very busy day for me and hopefully I’ll bring my A-game.

“Loads of people will be watching.

“We’re just the underdogs and everyone is expecting us to lose but anything can happen.

“They need to respect us as well a little bit because we’ve got this far because we’ve been collectively very good.”

Covolan has been one of Maidstone’s stand-out performers this season but there’s a big difference between denying non-league strikers and keeping Championship players at bay.

He said: “I like being busy when I’m having a good day.

“I prefer being busy and I think it helps to be switched on in the game all the time.

“It’s more difficult when the ball is on the opposite side of the pitch to keep your concentration. I’d rather have the ball around me all the time but it’s going to be a very busy day for me.

“You know when you’re having a good day but you cannot rely on the first save or the