Looking to enjoy a top-flight success in front of their East Anglian faithful for the first time this season, Ipswich Town will welcome Newcastle United to Portman Road on Saturday afternoon for a Premier League clash.
The Tractor Boys delivered a significant blow in the survival race last weekend by downing Wolverhampton Wanderers in the West Midlands, whilst the Magpies have enjoyed a pair of productive North-East battles over the past seven days.
Match preview
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Playing for Barnet in the National League - the fifth tier of English football - just four years ago, Ipswich Town midfielder Jack Taylor enjoyed a marvellous moment at Molineux last weekend, netting his maiden Premier League goal to give his side a last-minute success over Wolves.
Defeat for the Black Country hosts signalled the end for head coach Gary O'Neil, with the Tractor Boys returning to East Anglia after dealing a serious punch to one of the clubs that they are in direct competition with to ensure that they avoid an immediate return to the Championship.
After a run of one draw and three defeats following the resumption of club football after November's international break, Ipswich's second top-flight victory of the campaign moved them up to 12 points, meaning that Kieran McKenna's troops sit in 18th place in the Premier League standings, two points behind Leicester City in 17th.
Unlike in their Championship and League One campaigns of recent times, the Tractor Boys have struggled on their own patch this season, with the East Anglians the only side in the division who are yet to collect maximum points in front of their respective home faithful, although the newly-promoted outfit have managed respectable draws with the likes of Manchester United and Aston Villa at Portman Road.
Seven of Ipswich's starting XI at Molineux last weekend were part of the squad which secured a second-placed finish in the Championship last season, highlighting how Saturday's hosts are sticking with the core of their success as they battle hard to retain their top-flight status.
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Following a four-game winless run in the Premier League after the international break, Newcastle have managed to get their campaign back on track to some degree over the past week, smashing Leicester 4-0 in the top flight before enjoying an EFL Cup success over Brentford at St James' Park on Wednesday night.
Finding the net just once during his debut season in England, Sandro Tonali was the man of the moment in the North-East earlier this week, bagging a first-half brace that propelled the Magpies to a 3-1 victory at the expense of the visiting Bees, booking a spot in the semi-finals of the competition.
Closing in on an end to their 69-year spell without a domestic honour, Newcastle also need to keep focus on their top-flight goals as they aim to avoid a season of midtable mediocrity, with Eddie Howe's men currently occupying 12th position in the Premier League standings after 16 contests.
That being said, high-flying Nottingham Forest are only five points ahead of the Magpies in fourth place, meaning that a string of good results over the festive period could lead to a rosy outlook for the North-East giants ahead of an FA Cup meeting with League Two Bromley on January 12.
Newcastle have endured two difficult away trips recently at Crystal Palace and Brentford - earning just a single point combined from the fixtures - although Howe's side have the ability to snatch three points on the road, as shown by their 3-1 win at Nuno Espirito Santo's Forest on November 10.
Team News
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Collecting his fifth yellow card of the campaign during the much-needed win over Wolves last weekend, Ipswich marksman Liam Delap is suspended for the visit of the Magpies on Saturday.
Replacing the goal threat of the towering Englishman will be a real issue for the Tractor Boys, especially when considering that George Hirst is sidelined due to a knee issue.
The hosts have also seen their right-sided options decimated over recent times, with both Axel Tuanzebe (hamstring) and Chiedozie Ogbene (Achilles) out of action.
Taylor will be targeting a rare Premier League start after his heroics in the Black Country, although it is difficult to see either Jens-Lys Cajuste or Sam Morsy dropping out of the XI.
Newcastle will also battle on without a key player owing to suspension rules, with midfielder Joelinton earning his fifth caution of the term against Leicester last weekend.
Sidelined since March due to a cruciate ligament injury, Sven Botman is nearing his long-awaited return but will not feature in East Anglia this weekend.
Alexander Isak should continue to hold down the fort in attack amid the continued absence of Callum Wilson, who is scheduled to be unavailable until February because of a hamstring strain.
Joining fellow defender Botman in the medical room, Jamaal Lascelles (knee) and Emil Krafth (collarbone) are both set to be back in the New Year.
Ipswich Town possible starting lineup:
Muric; Clarke, O'Shea, Burgess, Davis; Morsy, Cajuste, Burns, Chaplin, Hutchinson; Al Hamadi
Newcastle United possible starting lineup:
Dubravka; Livramento, Schar, Burn, Hall; Tonali, Guimaraes, Willock; Murphy, Gordon, Isak
We say: Ipswich Town 1-2 Newcastle United
Buoyed by two handsome home victories over the past week, we are expecting Newcastle to arrive at Portman Road with a great deal of confidence on Saturday afternoon.
Ipswich have failed to win back-to-back matches in the Premier League so far and we cannot the envisage the Tractor Boys starting that habit against the talented Magpies.
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Carter White
