Ipswich Town vs Southampton Prediction: Team News and Lineups Preview

Josh Ingram is on hand to oversee an Ipswich Town vs Southampton prediction betting preview at Portman Road as the Saints meet the Tractor boys in a crunch game in the fight to stay up in the Premier League. Southampton are ten points behind fellow strugglers Ipswich, and they will be cut adrift if they fail to get anything from this. 

Ipswich did the double over Southampton last season in the Championship and equalised in dramatic fashion earlier in the campaign to get a 1-1 draw. These two should go for it in a frantic game, with both needing a win.

Ipswich Town vs Southampton Prediction: Delap to make the Saints suffer

England, Premier League, Saturday, February 1st, 15:00 (UK)

Ipswich Town vs Southampton is a massive game for both clubs. The Tractor Boys could climb out of the bottom three for the first time since MD11 in October. The Saints currently sit ten points behind their upcoming opponents, and if they don’t start to get points soon, their relegation will be all but confirmed. They’re on course to be the worst Premier League team ever. These two have both struggled defensively this season; there is no shying away from that. The step up to the Premier League is massive; even with clubs spending lots of money, it’s hard to close the gap. There is the distinct possibility that all three promoted sides that came up get relegated two years in a row.

If Ipswich hopes to survive the drop this season, it will be down to Liam Delap’s goals. The Englishman has notched eight times in the Premier League so far from 6.4xG. Regarding his importance to the team, his goals make up 38% of Ipswich’s Premier League goals. Alongside his goalscoring, he has managed two assists, which is joint most for the Tractor Boys. The nearest to his ten goals and assists is Sammie Szmodics with four, highlighting Ipswich’s reliance on the young Englishman. 

Forwards across the league have had a field day against Saints’ defensive unit. They have been woeful in almost all their 23 games, conceding 53 goals, the most in the Premier League. When analysing most defensive metrics, they are typically the worst: Goals conceded per 90 (2.30), average xG conceded per 90 (2.35), and shots on target conceded per 90 (6.39). In all of those, they are the worst in the league, especially xG, by a considerable margin of seven. Personnel-wise, the data screams championship standard, with very few Premier League calibre players who would start for other teams in the top flight. 

Ipswich Town don’t create much per 90, taking the fewest shots (8.96) for the lowest xG (0.89). These numbers rose considerably when they played the three other teams in the relegation scrap. In these big crunch games, they raise their levels. The Tractor Boys’ attacking numbers jumped to 12.33 shots with an xG of 1.29. With two draws and a win in these fixtures, they know what it takes to get a result, and if they do, Delap will play a key role. 

Delap sets the tone up top with his pressing and dogged nature towards centre-backs, applying pressure and picking up fouls. The goal-card is appeals at 11.00, but to keep it simple, I’m backing the leading man to find the net in this relegation six-pointer. 

• Ipswich Town vs Southampton Prediction: Liam Delap Anytime Goalscorer (TRACKED BET)
• Best Odds: 2.40
• Bookmaker: bet365
• Stake: 10/10 (TRACKED BET) 

Ipswich Town vs Southampton Prediction odds via bet365 as at 12:00, January 30th, 2024. Odds may now differ.

Ipswich Town vs Southampton Injuries, Team News and Possible Lineups Prediction: Grim injury for Burns and Saints getting a few men back

Going to Anfield was a tough task, and no one expected them to get anything from the game, but the injury to Wes Burns was a devastating blow for the squad. Kierran Mckenna commented after the match, saying, “It wasn’t an impact, it was a movement…We’ve got our fingers crossed, but the knee’s very swollen, and he’s on crutches. He’ll be going for a scan.” It looks like an ACL, meaning the Welsh winger will be out until next season. Burns joins Connor Chaplin and Chiedozie Ogbene, who have both been out for a while. Chaplin injured his knee and should return mid-February. Ogbene’s injury ruled him out for the season since November. Leif Davis was dealing with illness before the Liverpool but is expected to be back. Szomdics will need a late fitness test. 

After missing last week, Aaron Ramsdale should be back from a minor muscle injury. Jack Stephens was spotted back in training after long-term absences, so it is potential for him to come back from injury to make the squad. Notably, Tyler Dibling is the big miss for this Saints side. The young forward has stood out in a poor season. He is the third-best in the league at drawing fouls that end in a shot; losing a player that can drive this side up the pitch and give them respite from being attacked most of the time is now an element they desperately miss.

Ipswich Town possible starting lineup:
Walton; Tuanzebe, O’Shea, Greaves, Davis; Morsy, Phillips, Ensico, Hutchinson, Philogene-Bidace; Delap

Southampton possible starting lineup:
Ramsdale; Sugawara, Bree, Bednarek, Harwood-Bellis, Walker-Peters; Downes, Aribo, Fernandes; Onuachu, Armstrong

Match Stats: Saints Rotten away record

• In the last five head-to-head, Southampton have only won one, an FA Cup replay back in the 2014/15 season. In more recent times, Ipswich Town have won both games in the championship, and Sam Morsy’s 95th-minute strike rescued a point when they met in September. 
• Southampton is the only team that has not won away from home this season. They have played 14, drawn twice, and lost ten games, scoring eight and conceding 23. 
• Despite sacking Russell Martin and appointing Ivan Juric, fortunes haven’t changed. The Croatian Manager has lost all six Premier League games he managed. The solitary win was in the FA Cup against Swansea, winning 3-0. 

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