Andoni Iraola will hope his Bournemouth side can continue their remarkable start to the 2024-25 Premier League season when they travel to Portman Road where they will face Ipswich Town on Sunday.
The hosts are third last in 18th place with just nine points, and their 1-0 defeat against Crystal Palace on December 3 meant they fell three points behind safety, while the Cherries beat Tottenham Hotspur 1-0 on Thursday and are in ninth place with 21 points.
Match preview
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Ipswich will be disappointed that they failed to create many chances at home against Palace, with the team producing just three shots in the first half and just one shot on target in the second.
Across 14 matchweeks, the Blues have had the fewest touches inside the opposition's penalty area and also mustered the fewest shots on target per game of any club in the top flight.
Boss Kieran McKenna noted that his team struggled in the final third against Palace, but highlighted his players' defensive performance, saying: "We didn't manage to create the game that we wanted or the chances that we wanted. Having said that, neither did the opponent. We were solid, there was very little in the game and very few opportunities at either end."
McKenna's side have scored 13 goals and conceded on 25 occasions in the top flight, and these records make them the division's third-worst offensive and sixth-worst defensive team in the division.
Ipswich are in poor form having lost five of their eight most recent fixtures in the Premier League, but while they have been beaten in their last two, they did draw two and win one of the prior three.
The home team are yet to win any of their seven games at Portman Road this season, being held to a stalemate four times, and they have also not kept a clean sheet in that period.
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Meanwhile, the Cherries come into the clash after deservedly defeating Tottenham, a match in which they created an incredible seven big chances while limiting Spurs to just one.
Iraola thought his side should have scored more, but was pleased with their overall showing, telling reporters: "Luckily we finished the job but there were moments when we thought that if we did not kill them, they would punish us. Our defensive performance was most pleasing. We did not give them many chances at all. Everyone defensively was very good."
The Cherries' clean sheet was just their second in 18 matches, though they have netted in each of their last seven fixtures, producing 13 goals.
Bournemouth have a strong record against the Premier League's elite, with the club emerging as victors against Tottenham, Arsenal and Manchester City this campaign.
The visitors are in good form, as while they have won two and lost two of their past four league outings, they have triumphed in four and drawn one of their seven most recent games.
However, Bournemouth's away record is concerning given they have lost eight, drawn two and won just three of their last 13 matches on the road.
Team News
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Ipswich will be without defender Axel Tuanzebe due to a hamstring injury until late December, while goalkeeper Cieran Slicker is not likely to return until the middle of this month.
The hosts could shield goalkeeper Arijanet Muric behind a defence consisting of Harry Clarke, Dara O'Shea, Jacob Greaves and Leif Davis.
Chiedozie Ogbene is unavailable as a result of an Achilles tendon injury, while George Hirst's knee issue may prevent him from featuring again until later this month.
Expect Wes Burns, Omari Hutchinson and Jack Clarke to support striker Liam Delap in front of a double pivot of Jack Taylor and Sam Morsy.
As for Bournemouth, defender Julian Araujo and midfielder Alex Scott are certain to miss out due to respective hamstring and meniscus injuries.
The Cherries could select a midfield double pivot of Tyler Adams and Ryan Christie, who have started together in the team's last two games.
Luis Sinisterra could return to the matchday squad, but he will likely have to make do with a place on the bench given the form of Antoine Semenyo, Justin Kluivert, Marcus Tavernier and Evanilson.
Centre-back Marcos Senesi is a doubt, so perhaps Iraola will field Illia Zabarnyi and Dean Huijsen in the heart of defence considering both started against Spurs.
Ipswich Town possible starting lineup:
Muric; Clarke, O'Shea, Greaves, Davis; Morsy, Taylor; Burns, Hutchinson, Clarke; Delap
Bournemouth possible starting lineup:
Arrizabalaga; Smith, Zabarnyi, Huijsen, Kerkez; Adams, Christie; Semenyo, Kluivert, Tavernier; Evanilson
We say: Ipswich Town 1-1 Bournemouth
Bournemouth's poor away record and defensive frailty could be something that the hosts look to exploit in the first half, taking advantage of any tired legs following the Cherries' win on Thursday.
However, Ipswich' struggles in the final third could give the visitors the opportunity they need to assert their dominance as the game goes on, and it would not be surprising if the points were shared on Sunday.
For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.
Lewis Nolan
