As each week passes in the Championship, another vital fixture in the race for promotion seems to come along, and Good Friday has offered up another intriguing clash as leaders Bournemouth visit Portman Road to take on Ipswich Town.

Bournemouth currently hold a one-point advantage at the top of the table, and with sixth-placed Ipswich just six points back, the pressure is on both sides to pick up points in the battle to reach the Premier League.

Ipswich Town

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Pundits and supporters outside of Suffolk have ruled Ipswich out of the race, labelled them playoff certainties before doubting them once again all in the space of a few months, such is the unpredictable nature of the promotion race this season.

Throughout a difficult period last month, the panic was never clear in Mick McCarthy's press conferences, and his side have returned to the playoff places with successive victories. A 1-0 win over Watford before the international break silenced a few doubters as they produced an impressive away performance at Vicarage Road to stifle the home side's attacking talent.

However, McCarthy will be fully aware that whoever maintains their momentum in the closing stages of the campaign will be rewarded, and he will be keen for his side to take points off another promotion rival.

Looking towards the automatic playoff spots must surely be a temptation for the Ipswich fans, but they remain wary of the sides behind them, with Brentford one point adrift and Wolverhampton Wanderers another point further back in eighth spot.

It could be McCarthy's experience which holds the key over the next seven games, and with the only other match against a top-eight side being a trip to Wolverhampton Wanderers later this month, the Tractor Boys may be quietly confident of putting a vital run of wins together in the run-in.

Recent form: LLDLWW

Bournemouth

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An unbeaten March included four wins from five games for Eddie Howe's Bournemouth side, and very few will argue against the Cherries being the team to beat as the battle for a place in the top flight heats up this month.

Despite the shocks and dramatic twists, Bournemouth's approach has never changed in a remarkable season for the club, and their brave attacking play could swing the title race in their favour over the next seven games.

In that impressive and potentially crucial run of results last month, Bournemouth managed to score 15 goals in five games and the pressure will be on the attackers to continue their fine run as Callum Wilson looks set to begin a spell on the treatment table.

Fourth-placed Norwich currently sit just three points behind Bournemouth, and Howe will be keen to stress to his players that sitting top in the first week of April will count for little if they take their foot off the gas on Good Friday.

A congested top eight means that not even a playoff spot is safe, but after guiding the team to a surprise title challenge, Howe must feel the pressure to clinch automatic promotion with another extended run of good form in the closing stages of the campaign.

Recent form: DWWWDW

Team News

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Both Howe and McCarthy landed targets in the final week of the loan window to boost their promotion bid, and the two managers are likely to include their new arrivals in the squad at Portman Road.

Howe revealed earlier this week that Wilson was "extremely doubtful" to face either Ipswich or Birmingham City over Easter, which means that Kenwyne Jones, who joined the club on loan from Cardiff City, will battle with Brett Pitman and Yann Kermorgant for the two spots in attack.

Ipswich were also busy in the closing stages of the loan window as they extended Luke Varney's stay at the club and also completed deals to sign Crystal Palace duo Ezekiel Fryers and Jonny Williams.

Williams joins Ipswich for the third time, and his creativity in midfield could see him handed a start at Portman Road, while Fryers is also pushing to make his debut.

Jonathan Parr is expected to recover from a knock to be available, which means either he or Fryers is likely to replace the suspended Tyrone Mings.

David McGoldrick and Darren Ambrose both returned to training earlier this week after recovering from injuries, but they could be forced to settle for places on the bench on Friday.

Ipswich possible starting lineup:
Bialkowski, Parr, Chambers, Smith, Berra, Skuse, Williams, Tabb, Varney, Murphy, Wood

Bournemouth possible starting lineup
Boruc, Francis, Elphick, Cook, Daniels, Ritchie, Surman, Arter, Pugh, Kermorgant, Jones

Head To Head

Daryl Murphy scored the equaliser 14 minutes from time in November to clinch a 2-2 draw for Ipswich in the reverse fixture, and the result followed a similar pattern from these two sides.

The last three meetings between the two have ended in draws, and Bournemouth are looking for their first win over Ipswich since a 3-1 victory in the old Division Two in 1990.

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We say: Ipswich Town 0-2 Bournemouth

Ipswich will take confidence from the win over Watford before the international break, and the arrival of Williams adds some much-needed creativity in midfield in the closing stages of the season. However, Bournemouth are on an excellent run and we're backing Howe's side to collect three more important points in Suffolk.

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