Ipswich Town, set for an immediate return to the EFL Championship, will look to end their season on a high with a home win over West Ham United on Sunday.
Ipswich Town will aim to snap their seven-match winless run when they host West Ham United in their final game of the season. While it has been a disappointing campaign for the Hammers, they have secured Premier League survival and will look to sign off with a positive result.
The home team are 19th on the table with just 22 points in their 37 outings. The Tractor Boys have only secured four wins all season long, and they have already been relegated to the second division.
Having failed to win their last seven Premier League games, there is little hope that Ipswich can take down West Ham despite their recent struggles. Meanwhile, the visitors are 15th on the table with 40 points in their 37 outings. It has been a very underwhelming season for them, as they have only managed ten wins so far.
West Ham have won just one of their last ten outings in the Premier League, and Graham Potter would ideally want them to finish with a win. Since they are going up against one of the relegated outfits, they will be hoping to claim all three points here. The Hard Tackle takes a close look at both teams and tries to predict the tactics they could deploy.
Team News & Tactics
Ipswich Town
While Conor Townsend is closing in on a return, he is unlikely to be risked in this fixture. Meanwhile, Sammie Szmodics is expected to be back in the squad after being out with an ankle problem since February. The home team are expected to be without the services of Arijanet Muric, Wes Burns, Kalvin Phillips, Chiedozie Ogbene, and Jaden Philogene.
Kieran McKenna will stick with the 4-2-3-1 formation, where Alex Palmer will be in goal. Axel Tuanzebe and Leif Davis will be the full-backs, while Dara O’Shea should pair up with Jacob Greaves at the heart of the defence.
In the centre of the park, Samy Morsy will start alongside Jack Taylor. The duo will look to shield the backline and ensure West Ham midfielders do not dominate the proceedings. Omari Hutchinson and Harry Clarke will feature on the flanks providing much-needed width to their attacks. Meanwhile, Julio Enciso will take up the no. 10 role. George Hirst might once again get an opportunity to start with Liam Delap playing a part off the bench.
Probable Lineup (4-2-3-1): Palmer; Tuanzebe, O’Shea, Greaves, Davis; Morsy, Taylor; Hutchinson, Enciso, Clarke; Hirst
West Ham United
Crysencio Summerville and Michail Antonio remain unavailable for the visitors. But apart from the duo, there are no fresh injury concerns for David Moyes’s team.
West Ham will stick with the 3-4-2-1 formation, where Alphonse Areola will be in goal. Aaron Cresswell, Max Kilman, and Jean-Clair Todibo will feature as the central defenders. Vladimir Coufal and Aaron Wan-Bissaka are expected to be the wing-backs for the away team.
Meanwhile, Edson Alvarez could partner Carlos Soler in the middle of the park. The duo will look to control the tempo and ensure they have the majority of the ball. Jarrod Bowen and Mohammed Kudus will be the two creative midfielders behind Niclas Fullkrug, who will lead the line for West Ham against Ipswich Town on Sunday.
Probable Lineup (3-4-2-1): Areola; Todibo, Kilman, Cresswell; Coufal, Alvarez, Soler, Wan-Bissaka; Kudus, Bowen; Fullkrug
Key Stats
- In the 69 meetings between the two teams, West Ham United have won 28 times, while Ipswich Town have 21 victories to their name.
- The two teams last met in October 2024 when the Hammers claimed a 4-1 home win.
- Ipswich Town have suffered a defeat in all their home league games in 2025.
- Neither West Ham nor Ipswich Town have won a league game after going a goal down this season.
- The Hammers have only lost one out of the last 17 Premier League games against Ipswich Town in the top flight. They have won 10 of those fixtures.
Player to Watch
Mohammed Kudus
The 24-year-old has been one of their mainstays since joining them back in 2023. While he had an impressive debut campaign, things have not gone according to plan for him this season. The Ghanaian international has been involved in a total of 31 league games but has only managed to contribute towards seven goals (4 goals, 3 assists).
The team’s overall form has affected him to a great extent, and he will be eager to finish the season on a high with a top-notch performance. Ipswich Town do not have the best defensive record, and Kudus can certainly make the most out of the opportunity.
Prediction
Ipswich Town 0-2 West Ham United
West Ham United might have had a disappointing campaign overall, but they head into the final fixture with an opportunity to end the season on a high. While their form has been patchy of late, they will fancy their chances against an already-relegated Ipswich Town outfit who have lost all their home league games in 2025.
Despite the Hammers’ inconsistencies, they do possess the quality needed to break down Ipswich’s shaky backline. West Ham have historically enjoyed facing Ipswich in the top flight and given the gulf in experience and individual quality, Graham Potter’s men should be able to secure all three points. The Hard Tackle predicts a 2-0 win for the away team.