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Ipswich Town continue their promotion push against Play-Off chasing Middlesbrough at Portman Road in the Championship.
Victory would put Ipswich top although a draw would be enough if Leeds fail to win in the lunchtime kick-off.
Middlesbrough could go seventh with a win if Coventry and Preston fail to win elsewhere.
Team News
Ipswich have no fresh injury concerns after their goalless draw against Watford in midweek.
Wes Burns, George Hirst (both hamstring) and Janoi Donacien (adductor) remain absent.
Middlesbrough have no fresh injury concerns following their 2-2 draw at Hull.
Darragh Lenihan, Tommy Smith (both Achilles), Dael Fry (pelvis), Josh Coburn (groin), Riley McGree (foot), Paddy McNair and Marcus Forss (both hamstring) remain sidelined.
When is Kick-Off?
Ipswich host Middlesbrough at Portman Road on Saturday 13 April at 3pm BST, untelevised live in the UK.
Stat Attack
- Ipswich have won one of their last eight meetings against Middlesbrough (W1, D2, L5).
- Middlesbrough have claimed 10 points in their last nine visits to Ipswich (W2, D4, L3).
- Three of the last four meetings at Portman Road between Ipswich and Middlesbrough ended in a 2-0 result, with Boro winning two of those three such games.
- Ipswich are looking to avoid going three consecutive league matches without a goal for the first time since November 2021.
- Emmanuel Latte Lath has scored four goals in three of his last four appearances for Boro.
Prediction
Having been held to a frustrating draw at home to Watford in midweek despite their dominance, Ipswich were lucky that Leicester and Leeds also slipped up but they deserve credit for how they managed the game to take a point when a winner looked unlikely rather than defensively implode.
Boro meanwhile simply could of done without that draw at Hull because their remaining games are now must-win if want to snatch a play-off spot, but they are crucially building momentum and Latte Lath in particular looks difficult to stop now he is hitting his stride.
Leicester’s defeat at Plymouth less than 24 hours before this fixture also has to motivate Ipswich to go and get the win, because this is their best opportunity to seize the initiative in the promotion race but Middlesbrough are no pushovers in recent meetings.
Michael Carrick’s Boro also know that anything less than defeat would all but surely end their play-off ambitions, so I do expect both teams to come out fighting but if Ipswich don’t underestimate their visitors then they should snatch this.
Prediction: Ipswich 2-1 Middlesbrough
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