Premier League | Gameweek 24

Feb 1, 2025 at 3pm UK

Portman Road Stadium

Ipswich vs Southampton

Match preview

After losing 6-0 at home to Manchester City in gameweek 22, Ipswich fans might have been worried about another embarrassing defeat at Anfield, where Liverpool showed the Tractor Boys what they're made of, just as everyone expected.

Kieran McKenna's men didn't suffer as badly as expected against the champions, but the champions-elect still won easily 4-1, with Dominik Szoboszlai, Mohamed Salah and Cody Gakpo (two) scoring, and Jacob Greaves giving the travelling fans something to smile about.

But the hosts have now gone three matches without a win in the division, which has dropped them back below the dotted line into 19th place. However, a one-point gap to Leicester City in 17th is not insurmountable.

Ipswich's current predicament has a lot to do with their home form. Only Saturday's visitors have collected fewer points on their own turf than the Tractor Boys' seven, and five of their last six Premier League battles at Portman Road have ended in defeat.

The one exception for McKenna's team in that run was a massive 2-0 win over title contenders Chelsea, and maybe for the first time in the current Premier League season, the Tractor Boys might head into Saturday's showdown as the favourites.

The St Mary's crowd may have felt a bit hopeful last weekend, when Southampton's long-serving centre-back Jan Bednarek scored against Newcastle United after just 10 minutes, but that hope was quickly killed by a Swedish sensation.

Newcastle striker Alexander Isak quickly scored his 16th and 17th Premier League goals of the season from the penalty spot to put the Magpies in the lead, before Sandro Tonali gave Eddie Howe's team a comfortable two-goal lead early in the second half.

Mateus Fernandes's disallowed goal just made things worse for the Saints, who are still at the bottom of the table with just six points after 23 games. If they keep playing like this, they'll break Derby County's record for the lowest-ever Premier League points total.

They've been beaten in each of their last six top-flight matches and are on track to get just 10 points in total, but there have been some signs of improvement recently.

Southampton weren't embarrassed by Manchester United or Nottingham Forest, but they could now lose seven league games in a row for the very first time. They were unlucky not to beat Ipswich in September when Sam Morsy scored in the last minute.

Recent Performance

Ipswich Town Premier League form:LWDLLL

Ipswich Town form (all competitions):WDWLLL

Southampton Premier League form:LLLLLL

Southampton form (all competitions):LLWLLL

Team News

Things went from bad to worse for Ipswich against Liverpool, as McKenna lost attacker Wes Burns to a knee injury after just 29 minutes. The Tractor Boys boss is worried that the 30-year-old has hurt himself really badly.

Burns joins Sammie Szmodics (ankle), Conor Chaplin (knee) and Chiedozie Ogbene (Achilles) in the Portman Road treatment room, but influential left-back Leif Davis - who was subbed at half time at Anfield due to illness - and Jens Cajuste, who was rested last time out, should be OK to play.

Ben Johnson was chosen to replace Burns against the Reds, but McKenna might also decide to give Julio Enciso his first start. He's on loan from Brighton & Hove Albion and he came on as a sub last weekend and set up Greaves for his second goal.

On the topic of attacking injury concerns, Southampton are expected to manage without the highly sought-after Tyler Dibling for at least another couple of weeks due to an ankle injury, while Kamaldeen Sulemana, who's been linked with a return to France, is dealing with a hamstring issue.

But it looks like Dibling might be the only one who can't make Saturday's game, as all of Aaron Ramsdale (muscle), Ross Stewart (calf), Jack Stephens (unspecified) and new signing Albert Gronbaek (fitness) seem likely to be back in action.

Ramsdale will probably be in goal if he's fit, but any minutes for the Rennes loanee Gronbaek will probably come from the bench, as Juric sticks with the Lesley Ugochukwu-Joe Aribo double pivot.

Possible starting lineup

Ipswich Town possible starting lineup:

Walton; Tuanzebe, O'Shea, Greaves, Davis; Phillips, Cajuste; Hutchinson, Enciso, Philogene; Delap

Southampton possible starting lineup:

Ramsdale; Bree, Bednarek, Harwood-Bellis; Sugawara, Aribo, Ugochukwu, Walker-Peters; Fernandes; Armstrong, Onuachu