Ipswich – Wolverhampton Wanderers
Those fighting for survival in the bottom of the table cannot afford any slip-ups. That is why Saturday afternoon’s game at Portman Road is a crucial clash: 18th-placed Ipswich Town host Wolverhampton Wanderers, who are currently nine points clear of the relegation places. Despite a poor home record – just one win in 15 attempts – Ipswich are hoping to reduce the gap to the safety places after their recent 2-1 win over Bournemouth.
Ipswich – Wolves Info
- Stadium: Portman Road, Ipswich, Suffolk
- Date and Time: 05.04.2025, 16:00
- Competition: Premier League (Regular Season – 31)
Ipswich Form & Record Check
Ipswich Town recently ended a run of four consecutive defeats and took noticeable heart from their victory at Bournemouth. Nevertheless, Kieran McKenna’s team are still in 18th place with only 20 points and urgently need to find consistency. Liam Delap, who has already scored ten Premier League goals this season, remains the main source of hope up front. At the same time, the Tractor Boys repeatedly reveal gaps in defense – especially in the second halves, they have recently been unable to hold out. Loan player Julio Enciso offers a glimmer of hope, and his creative style of play could provide some surprise moments.
Kieran McKenna is likely to stick with his proven 4-2-3-1 formation. Liam Delap, who already has ten goals this season, is expected to start again in the center forward position. Ipswich are still without key players: Sammie Szmodics (ankle injury), Chiedozie Ogbene (torn Achilles tendon) and Conor Chaplin (fitness issues) are out. In these circumstances, Julio Enciso could once again provide the decisive impetus. Morsy and Phillips are expected to start in midfield as a double six, while Cajuste and Taylor could occupy the wings. The back four of Davis, Woolfenden, Burgess and Townsend remained unchanged last time out, with Palmer in goal.
Wolves Form & Record Check
Wolverhampton Wanderers have been on a real roll under manager Vitor Pereira recently. After two consecutive Premier League wins – including a 1-0 victory over West Ham – they are in a much more relaxed position and are now nine points ahead of Ipswich. In particular, their tactical discipline stands out: in the triumph over the Hammers, Jørgen Strand Larsen was the match-winner with his goal in the 21st minute, before the defense defended consistently in heated final phases. In their last five league games, the Wolves have collected eight points and have been scoring reliably for weeks, often already in the first half. Despite being knocked out of the FA Cup by Bournemouth on penalties, the team has regained its composure. However, they face a significant personnel issue if Matheus Cunha leaves: he is linked with Arsenal and reportedly has a release clause of £62.5 million. The defense is a bit more stable, even though Craig Dawson, statistically one of the slowest players in the league, is operating in the center of defense.
Manager Gary O’Neil could revert to a 3-4-2-1 formation. Sá is expected to start in goal, protected by a back three of Doherty, Agbadou and Gomes. Many expect to see Aït-Nouri and Semedo on the wings, while André and Gomes should provide stability in midfield. Offensively, a trio of Bellegarde and Larsen could form behind center forward Hee-Chan. The loss of Kalajdzic (cruciate ligament rupture) continues to weigh heavily, as do the severe knee injuries of Mosquera and González. Bentley, Bueno, Traoré, Sarabia and Forbs are likely to take their places on the bench, although, as always, the final lineup puzzle will only be resolved shortly before kick-off.
Ipswich – Wolves Head to Head Statics
A glance at their previous five meetings shows an even picture overall, with Ipswich winning the last two duels: a 2-1 win at Wolverhampton in December 2024 and a 3-2 win in the League Cup in September 2023. Before that, Wolves won two 1-0 victories in the 2017/18 Championship season, while a 0-0 draw occurred in March 2017. It is worth noting that in four of those five meetings, there were fewer than 1.5 goals scored in the second half. What’s more, three of those second halves ended in a draw. Despite their tendency to defend, Wolves scored at least once in four of those matches, and Ipswich conceded a goal in 80% of those encounters.
