MATCH PREVIEW: IPSWICH TOWN V LEEDS UNITED

MATCH PREVIEW: IPSWICH TOWN V LEEDS UNITED

We look ahead to Saturday's fixture.

Leeds United head to Portman Road on Saturday, looking to get back to winning ways against Ipswich Town in the Sky Bet Championship.  Thomas Christiansen's side are looking to bounce back from last weekend's 2-1 Emirates FA Cup Third Round defeat at Newport County.  United come up against a team they have already beaten this season at Elland Road, with the Whites running out 3-2 winners over Mick McCarthy's side back in September.  Ipswich come into the game without a victory since their 2-0 win over Reading on 16th December.  The Tractor Boys have lost four of their last five games in all competitions, drawing the other.

 

League position

Ipswich Town: 12th

Leeds United: 6th

 

Recent form

Ipswich Town: LDLLL

Leeds United: WWLDL

 

Head to head

Ipswich Town wins: 32

Draws: 21

Leeds United wins: 27

 

Last time at Portman Road

Saturday 18th February 2017

Sky Bet Championship

Ipswich Town 1 (Sears 9) Leeds United 1 (Dallas 42)

 

Ipswich: Bialkowski, Knudsen, Chambers, Berra, Skuse (Bru 60), McGoldrick (Moore 90), Spence, Ward, Sears, Kenlock, Huws (Bishop 81).  Subs not used: Gerken, Smith, Pitman, Emmanuel.

Leeds: Green, Ayling, Bartley, Jansson, Berardi, O’Kane, Vieira (Bridcutt 46), Hernandez, Dallas, Sacko (Barrow 77), Wood (Doukara 86).  Subs not used: Silvestri, Cooper, Roofe, Pedraza.

Attendance: 18,745 (2,113 Leeds)

 

In our last meeting at Portman Road back in February 2017, the two sides played out a 1-1 draw.  After Leeds made a bright start, Emyr Huws found Grant Ward and he picked out Freddie Sears in the box who smashed home inside nine minutes.  Leeds hit back just before the break when Hadi Sacko’s cross was flicked on by Chris Wood and Stuart Dallas poked home at the back post.  Chances were few and far between in the second period, as both teams had to settle for a point in the Championship.

 

Team news

Samuel Saiz's six match ban gets underway, so the Spanish midfielder will be unavailable for the trip to Portman Road, along with full-back Luke Ayling who has been ruled out for the rest of the campaign.  Caleb Ekuban is still absent, but Stuart Dallas could be in contention to return.  New signing Laurens De Bock could make his debut after signing from Club Brugge in the week.  New Ipswich arrival, striker Aaron Drinan could make his debut for the Tractor Boys after joining from Waterford.  Flynn Downes and Tristan Nydam could return from injury, but the game is likely to be too soon for Grant Ward and Adam Webster.

 

The key battle

Liam Cooper v David McGoldrick

Ipswich striker McGoldrick is the obvious threat in the Tractor Boys side.  The experienced Championship striker is a proven goal-scorer at this level and found the net in our fixture at Elland Road back in September.  The 30-year-old will come up against United captain Cooper in the heart of the Leeds defence, who will be tasked with keeping the striker quiet.  Last time out in the Championship, the Whites kept a clean sheet against Nottingham Forest and Cooper will be marshalling the troops, for a repeat at Portman Road.

 

Betting odds with Ladbrokes

Ipswich Town: 2/1

Draw: 21/10

Leeds United: 29/20

(Odds correct at time of article published)

Click here to bet now.

 

LUTV

Fans outside of the UK and Ireland can watch Saturday's game with Ipswich Town live on LUTV, with pre-match build up and post match interviews and analysis.  Fans in the UK and Ireland can listen to live commentary with Thom Kirwin and Eddie Gray on LUTV.  Build up will begin from 2:00pm. Click here to subscribe now.

 

Beamback

You can watch all of the action unfold at Elland Road at our beamback sponsored by Foster's.  Fans can watch in either Billy's Bar or the Gowing Law Centenary Pavilion and take in the game at Portman Road live on our giant screens.  Click here for tickets.

 

 

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