Leeds United and Ipswich Town will face off in a clash that could determine who ends up with the second spot.
Leeds United will need nothing less than a win to keep up with Ipswich Town as the race for the second spot heats up in the EFL Championship.
Leicester City’s quality and pragmatism gives them the edge at the top of the second tier standings. But the second automatic promotion spot is still up for grabs. After all, a spot in the playoffs is a risky proposition given the small margin for errors.
Leeds have recovered after a poor start to the campaign and have welcomed back several players from injuries in recent weeks. However, they have picked up just one point from the last two games and will be wary of falling behind Southampton who are only lagging behind on goal difference.
Ipswich Town, on the other hand, are in dreamland, having only gained promotion to the second tier at the end of the 2022/23 season. They are currently enjoying the best start to a campaign by a promoted side ever in the Championship and have established themselves as a force to be reckoned with.
The Blues have lost just twice in the Championship all season, one of which came against Leeds. Elland Road has not been a good destination for them in recent years, and they now face the prospect of succumbing to a league double to Leeds for the first time since 2001.
A win will not just strengthen their hold on second spot but also keep Kieran McKenna’s side hot on the heels of Leicester. With the Foxes set to visit Portman Road on Boxing Day, the upcoming week could prove pivotal to Ipswich’s dreams of securing a second successive promotion. The Hard Tackle takes a look at how these two sides will line up and what tactics they might employ.
Team News & Tactics
Leeds United
Daniel Farke’s men appeared set to assault the top of the EFL Championship table. But a return of only one point in their last two games against Sunderland and Coventry City has taken the wind out of their sails.
The festive season now gives them the opportunity to rediscover the winning touch and also keep the pressure on the top two teams, Leicester City and Ipswich Town, in the race for the coveted automatic promotion spots.
Junior Firpo, Stuart Dallas and Sam Byram are all out injured, but Farke has an otherwise fully-fit squad at his disposal. He is likely to retain the 4-2-3-1 formation that appears to give the Whites the balance they crave.
Illan Meslier should start in goal, while Archie Gray should continue at right-back. Joe Rodon and Pascal Struijk are expected to retaining their spots in the backline, while Djed Spence should replace Sam Byram at left-back.
Ethan Ampadu and Glen Kamara should also retain their spots as the double pivot, holding the fort for Daniel James, Joel Piroe and Crysencio Summerville to get the ball forward. Georginio Rutter should once again get the nod over Patrick Bamford and will hope to catch the Ipswich Town defence off guard.
Probable Lineup (4-2-3-1): Meslier; Gray, Rodon, Struijk, Spence; Ampadu, Kamara; James, Piroe, Summerville; Rutter
Ipswich Town
Former Manchester United man Kieran McKenna deserves much credit for the work he has done at Portman Road. Ipswich Town are in dreamland right now and are very well in the running to make a return to the Premier League.
The Blues have lost just once in the last six games and twice throughout the league campaign. Wins over the EFL Championships regulars show that Ipswich are the real deal. With games against Leeds United and Leicester City up next, they can prove that their strong set of results is no fluke.
Having lost on three of their most recent visits to Elland Road, the onus will be on the Blues to end their Yorkshire hoodoo. With a fully fit squad brimming with options and high morale, Kieran McKenna will have decisions to make.
The 4-2-3-1 formation should mirror that of Leeds, and it should prove to be a curious tactical battle between the two managers. Vaclav Hladky should start in goal with the back four of Harry Clarke, Luke Woolfenden, Cameron Burgess and Leif Davis providing him protection.
Sam Morsy and Massimo Luongo should provide the double pivot in the midfield with the trio of Wes Burns, Conor Chaplin and Nathan Broadhead providing the attacking impetus. George Hirst should retain his spot upfront and will aim to get the better of Leeds’s back four.
Probable Lineup (4-2-3-1): Hladky; Clarke, Woolfenden, Burgess, Davis; Morsy, Luongo; Burns, Chaplin, Broadhead; Hirst
Key Stats
- Ipswich Town last won on a trip to Elland Road in 2015. They have since lost on their last three trips to Leeds United.
- Should Ipswich Town win on Saturday, it will be their 31st league win in 2023. It will be a new record for the club whose current run stands at 30 wins in 1998.
- Ipswich Town can match Southampton (33 in League One, 2011) as the first side to win outside the Premier League to win more than 30 league games in a single year.
- Ipswich Town are currently enjoying the best start to a league campaign by a newly-promoted side in Football League history.
Player to Watch
Crysencio Summerville
The Leeds United attacker is enjoying a fine run of form, amassing nine goals and five assists in his last 12 league starts. He has also accumulated goal contributions in each of his last seven games at Elland Road. Leeds will need him to keep up that run if they are to get the better of Ipswich on Saturday.
Ipswich Town have conceded 28 goals this season and are far from secure at the back. Should Leeds United get stuck in and make use of their dynamic frontline, they could make a telling difference. Summerville has all the tools needed to cause havoc, and his link-up with Joel Piroe could very well give Georginio Rutter the chances he needs to decide the tie.
Prediction
Leeds United 2-2 Ipswich Town
With much at stake and games coming thick and fast, both sides should produce an end-to-end game that should be exciting. While Leeds United have superior players and home support to boot, Ipswich’s momentum this season has been akin to a sweeping tide. Both teams are unlikely to put on a safety first approach, and a scoring tie appears the most likely result.