Ipswich Town and Tottenham Hotspur are set to face off in a crucial Premier League encounter at Portman Road on Saturday afternoon. Both sides are in dire need of a statement victory as they aim to boost their respective campaigns.
Kieran McKenna’s Ipswich side earned a hard-fought 1-1 draw against Aston Villa in their last outing, despite being reduced to ten men for more than half of the match. Meanwhile, Ange Postecoglou’s Tottenham secured a much-needed 1-0 win over Manchester United, which provided a confidence boost following recent inconsistent performances.
Ipswich Town Team News
The Tractor Boys will be without Julio Enciso, who sustained a knee injury in the previous match. Fortunately, scans have ruled out any serious damage, and he is expected to be sidelined for only a few weeks rather than months.
On the positive side, Ipswich will see the return of key players Leif Davis, Sammie Szmodics, and Sam Morsy, all of whom have trained this week and are available for selection. However, defender Axel Tuanzebe is suspended following his red card, and Conor Chaplin remains a doubt despite resuming training.
Speaking ahead of the match, McKenna provided updates on his squad’s fitness:
“Julio [Enciso] underwent scans, and thankfully, there was no significant new damage. He will need time to recover, but we’re hopeful for a quick return. As for Leif [Davis] and Sam [Morsy], they’ve trained well and should be available. Sammie [Szmodics] has also recovered from his ankle issue, while Conor [Chaplin] is still slightly behind schedule.”
With Tuanzebe out, January signing Ben Godfrey is likely to step into the defensive lineup, while Leif Davis is expected to reclaim his spot at left-back. Enciso’s absence in attack opens the door for Jaden Philogene to start.
Predicted Ipswich XI: Palmer; Johnson, Godfrey, O’Shea, Greaves, Davis; Cajuste, Morsy; Hutchinson, Delap, Philogene.
Predicted Substitutes: Muric (GK), Woolfenden (DEF), Townsend (DEF), Phillips (MID), Taylor (MID), Broadhead (MID), Szmodics (FWD), Hirst (FWD), Clarke (FWD).
Tottenham Hotspur Team News
Spurs have been dealing with a long list of injuries in recent months, but they head into this fixture with no new setbacks following their victory over Manchester United. Kevin Danso, Heung-Min Son, and Rodrigo Bentancur have all recovered from minor knocks and are available for selection. Goalkeeper Guglielmo Vicario also completed the previous match without any concerns.
However, key players such as Dominic Solanke, Richarlison, Radu Dragusin, Micky van de Ven, and Cristian Romero remain long-term absentees and are still unavailable.
Speaking in his pre-match press conference, Postecoglou provided insight into his squad’s condition:
“There are no fresh injury concerns from last week. Everyone came through okay, and we’ve had a full week to recover and prepare.
“We saw Brennan [Johnson], Wilson [Odobert], Vicario, and Madders [Maddison] return last week, along with Destiny [Udogie]. Now, it’s about giving them minutes. These upcoming games provide a good opportunity to do that.
“We’re hopeful that players like Romero and Micky [Van de Ven] will be available around the time of our Europa League Round of 16 first leg against AZ Alkmaar on March 6. Richy [Richarlison] and Dom [Solanke] shouldn’t be too far behind either.
“Romero’s recovery is progressing well, and we’re carefully picking the right moment for his return. It’s crucial we get him and Micky back for the remainder of the season. They’ve been training well, and when they come back, they should be in top condition.”
With more squad depth available, Postecoglou has the chance to rotate his lineup. Djed Spence could be named on the bench alongside experienced players such as Ben Davies, Rodrigo Bentancur, and Brennan Johnson. Destiny Udogie is expected to get more playing time following his return from injury, while Pape Matar Sarr could feature in midfield to provide energy. James Maddison, fresh off his goal last week, is likely to start once again.
Predicted Tottenham XI: Vicario; Porro, Danso, Gray, Udogie; Sarr, Bergvall; Kulusevski, Maddison, Son; Tel.
Predicted Substitutes: Kinsky (GK), Spence (DEF), Davies (DEF), Bissouma (MID), Bentancur (MID), Johnson (FWD), Moore (FWD), Odobert (FWD), Scarlett (FWD).
With both teams facing key selection dilemmas due to injuries and suspensions, the match is set to be an intriguing tactical battle as Ipswich looks to secure a vital home victory while Spurs aim to build momentum in their push for European qualification.
£225,000-per-week trio to be benched as Gray and Son decisions made – Ipswich v Tottenham Predicted XIs
