Ipswich vs Southampton Predictions

• Ipswich have kept one clean sheet in their last 19 Premier League games
• Southampton have kept one clean sheet in their last 13 league matches
• Both teams have scored in four of Southampton’s last five games in the league

Bottom two in big trouble

Optimism will be in short supply when the Premier League’s bottom two, Ipswich and Southampton, face off at Portman Road on Saturday.

Ipswich come into the game on the back of two heavy losses to Manchester City and Liverpool while Southampton seem likely to set a new record for the competition’s lowest points total.

Saints boss Ivan Juric has overseen six consecutive defeats since taking charge in December, but there have been some signs of improvement amid the gloom. Enough to persuade the club’s owner Dragan Solak to state Juric will be in charge again next season whatever happens in the remaining 15 games.

Shoots of recovery at Southampton

Southampton were sunk by Alexander Isak’s brilliance last weekend as Newcastle came from a goal down to win 3-1 at St Mary’s. The scoreline should have perhaps been more convincing for the Magpies, but Southampton will not come up against a better centre forward this season let alone against Ipswich this week.

The visitors were also undone by a spectacular individual display at Old Trafford when they deservedly lead until Amad Diallo grabbed the game by the scruff of the neck in the final 10 minutes.

Both of those performances contained the kernels of something positive for Juric, who is likely to be without some key players again on Saturday. 

Clubs incapable of clean sheets

Saints have scored in their three away games under him and should be able to get on the scoresheet at Portman Road, where the hosts have kept only one league clean sheet all season.

Kieran McKenna’s side are now outperforming their expected goals after registering a late consolation in a 4-1 Anfield defeat last week. Those traits make this game easier to call in terms of both teams to score with a repeat of the 1-1 draw at St Mary’s earlier this season possible.

Despite the likely absences again of Tyler Dibling, Kamaldeen Sulemana and Aaron Ramsdale, Saints may be able to claim a point against a team with one home win all season. Goalkeeper Alex McCarthy did well against the Magpies and will have to play at least as well again.