Enzo Maresca’s Chelsea will look to return to winning ways when they hit the road to square up against relegation-threatened Ipswich Town on Monday.
Ipswich Town will be looking for their third league win of the ongoing campaign when they host fourth-placed Chelsea at Portman Road on Monday night.
The home team have not really found things easy in the English top flight. They are 19th on the points table with just 12 points in their 18 outings with two wins and six draws. While things have not been that easy, Ipswich are just three points below the drop zone and can surely turn things around with a few positive results.
The Tractor Boys’ last Premier League win came two weeks back against Wolves, but they are heading into this one on the back of a defeat at the hands of Arsenal. They did fight hard but will have to do better to get a result against the Blues.
On the other hand, Chelsea slipped down to the third place after Gameweek 18 following a draw and a defeat in their last two outings. They have 35 points in their 18 outings and are just a point behind the Gunners, who are currently second on the table.
Chelsea are heading into this fixture on the back of a shocking 2-1 loss to Fulham. Maresca’s team will be eager to get things back on track, and Ipswich Town might end up feeling their full force. The Hard Tackle takes a close look at both teams and tries to predict the tactics they could put to use.
Team News & Tactics
Ipswich Town
Kieran McKenna will be without the services of Chiedozie Ogbene and George Hirst. Meanwhile, Massimo Luongo remains a doubt after having missed their last outing due to illness. While McKenna shifted to be back five for the game against Arsenal, they should revert to a 4-2-3-1 formation for this fixture.
Arijanet Muric will be in goal for the home team, while Dara O’Shea and Leif Davis will be the full-backs. In the heart of the defence, Cameron Burgess with partner with Jacob Greaves.
As for the midfield unit, Samy Morsy and Jens Cajuste will form the double pivot. They will try to shield the backline and ensure they do not allow Chelsea midfielders to dictate the pace of the game.
In attack, Conor Chaplin and Sammie Szmodics will provide width to their attacks while Omari Hutchinson will be the attacking midfielder. Liam Delap will lead the line for Ipswich Town against Chelsea at Portman Road on Sunday.
Probable Lineup (4-2-3-1): Muric; O’Shea, Greaves, Burgess, Davis; Morsy, Cajuste; Chaplin, Hutchinson, Szmodics; Delap
Chelsea
The visitors will be without the services of Reece James, Wesley Fofana, and Benoit Badiashile. Meanwhile, Romeo Lavia and Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall’s availability is a doubt. Maresca could make a few changes to the team that started in their last outing as he will be aiming for a quick turnaround.
The Blues will line up in a 4-2-3-1 formation, with Robert Sanchez in between the sticks. Malo Gusto and Marc Cucurella will be the full-backs. In the heart of the defence, Tosin Adarabioyo will partner with Levi Colwill.
As for the midfield unit, Enzo Fernandez will partner with Moises Caicedo in the centre of the park. The duo will look to control the tempo and ensure they dominate the proceedings. Cole Palmer will be the attacking midfielder, while Joao Felix and Noni Madueke will be the wingers. Meanwhile, Christopher Nkunku could be the one leading the line for them.
Probable Lineup (4-2-3-1): Sanchez; Gusto, Tosin, Colwill, Cucurella; Enzo, Caicedo; Madueke, Palmer, Joao Felix; Nkunku
Key Stats
- Ipswich Town have lost five out of their last six Premier League games.
- Chelsea are all set to travel to Portman Road to face Ipswich Town for the first time since 2002.
- Liverpool are the only team to defeat Chelsea on the road this season.
- The Blues failed to win any of their last five league meetings against Ipswich Town at Portman Road during the early 90s and 2000s.
- Enzo Maresca’s team have not lost the final game of a year since 2011.
Player to Watch
Christopher Nkunku
After a horror debut season, Nkunku has managed to turn things around. He has 12 goals and four assists in his 26 outings. While he has been involved in 17 league games, the French international has only started a limited amount of games. If he gets the nod from the start, the 27-year-old will be looking to leave a mark.
Prediction
Ipswich Town 1-3 Chelsea
Ipswich Town have struggled to deal with the demands of the English top flight. The Tractor Boys have only won two out of their 18 Premier League games, and he will not find it easy against the Blues. While Chelsea have dropped points in their last two outings, they surely have enough in their tank to get the desired result here. The Hard Tackle predicts an easy 3-1 win for the away team.
