Ipswich Town face Bournemouth at Portman Road on Sunday in a critical Premier League clash. Kieran McKenna's men are languishing in 18th place, struggling for points, while Andoni Iraola's Bournemouth are riding high in ninth after a string of impressive results.
Ipswich are desperate to break their winless home run, but they'll face a confident Cherries side determined to build on their success.
Ipswich Recent Form
Ipswich have had a difficult start to their Premier League campaign, sitting third from the bottom with just nine points after 14 games.
Their recent form is concerning, having lost five of their last eight matches. A 1-0 home defeat to Crystal Palace in their previous fixture highlighted their struggles in the attacking third, with the Tractor Boys registering just one shot on target in the second half.
Bournemouth Recent Form
Bournemouth are enjoying a solid season under Iraola. They come into this fixture in ninth place with 21 points and are on a high after defeating Tottenham 1-0 on Thursday.
The Cherries have shown resilience against top teams, beating the likes of Spurs, Arsenal, and Manchester City. However, their away form remains inconsistent, with just three wins in their last 13 trips.
Injury and Team News
Ipswich
Defender Axel Tuanzebe (hamstring) and goalkeeper Cieran Slicker remain sidelined. Chiedozie Ogbene is out with an Achilles injury, while George Hirst's knee issue may keep him out until later this month.
Bournemouth
Julian Araujo (hamstring) and Alex Scott (meniscus) are unavailable. Marcos Senesi is a doubt, while Luis Sinisterra may feature from the bench after returning from injury.
Last Ipswich Lineup
Here is how Ipswich lined up for their last match against Crystal Palace:
Last Bournemouth Lineup
Bournemouth's lineup against Tottenham was:
Ipswich vs Bournemouth - Who is the Referee and VAR?
Referee: Michael Salisbury.
Assistants: Wade Smith, Scott Ledger.
Fourth official: Tom Bramall.
VAR: Paul Tierney.
Assistant VAR: Craig Taylor.
Ipswich Player To Watch
Liam Delap - The young forward will need to step up in Ipswich's struggling attack. His pace and work rate could trouble Bournemouth's defence, especially given their vulnerability on the road.
Bournemouth Player To Watch
Antoine Semenyo - In excellent form, Semenyo's ability to exploit spaces on the flanks and his eye for goal could prove decisive. His pace and movement will be key to Bournemouth's attacking play.
Prediction
Given Ipswich's home struggles and Bournemouth's inconsistent away form, a tightly contested game is likely. Ipswich's fight for survival may earn them a point, but Bournemouth’s quality might also be enough to break through.
Our Prediction: Ipswich Town 1-1 Bournemouth
Betting Tips
Tip 1
Both Teams to Score - Ipswich's need to attack and Bournemouth's attacking strength make this a likely outcome.
Tip 2
Under 2.5 Goals - Despite their need for points, Ipswich struggle in the final third, and Bournemouth may experience fatigue after their midweek win.
Tip 3
Draw at Full Time - Ipswich's desperation combined with Bournemouth's patchy away form suggests a share of the spoils.
