Preview: Crystal Palace vs Ipswich Town - prediction, team news, lineups

Seeking to win their third successive game in all competitions under new manager Pierre Sage, Crystal Palace welcome Ipswich Town to Selhurst Park for their latest Premier League fixture on Saturday afternoon.

The two teams lock horns for the first time since March 2025 when a late strike from Ismaila Sarr secured a slender 1-0 home victory for the Eagles.

Match preview

After kick-starting the new campaign with back-to-back Premier League losses against Everton (2-0) and Manchester City (4-1), Crystal Palace came from behind twice to beat Fulham 3-2 in an eventful contest at Craven Cottage last weekend.

Watched on by England manager Thomas Tuchel, left wing-back Tyrick Mitchell scored either side of half time before Ben Chilwell replaced him and found the net with his first touch to secure Pierre Sage his first win as a Premier League manager.

Victory for the Eagles also ended their nine-game winless run in the top flight, and they will now endeavour to claim consecutive victories in the division for the first time since December 2025.

Most teams would welcome a return to home soil, but Palace have struggled to grind out positive results at Selhurst Park. Indeed, only Tottenham (seven) have collected fewer points at home than the Eagles (11) among ever-present PL teams in 2026.

However, Palace did secure a 3-0 home victory over Middlesbrough in the EFL Cup third round on Wednesday, while they won both of their Premier League meetings with Ipswich in the 2024-25 campaign by a 1-0 scoreline; they have not beaten them in three successive league games since February 1995.

Ipswich have shown signs of promise since securing promotion from the Championship last season, but they currently have just three points on the board from their opening three Premier League matches, with four goals scored and a division-high eight goals conceded (level with Palace).

After leaving it late to beat Sunderland 2-1 on the opening weekend, the Tractor Boys have since suffered back-to-back losses to Man United (5-2) and Liverpool (2-0), losing to the latter at Portman Road last Friday after conceding both goals in the opening nine minutes.

Head coach Gary O'Neil acknowledged post-match the ‘big mistakes’ that were punished by world-class players in the Liverpool side, but he was proud of his team’s “excellent response” and was delighted with how his players competed in “one of the most extreme tests” they will face this season.

One key area of improvement is in defence, though, as Ipswich are currently enduring their longest-ever top-flight run without a clean sheet (22 games). A total of 57 goals have been conceded in that time (2.6 per game), while only Palace (6.5) and Fulham (6.2) have a higher expected goals against (xGA) total than the Tractor Boys (6.1) so far this season.

Meanwhile, O'Neil is yet to beat Palace in his five previous Premier League meetings as a manager (D1 L4) – only losing more often in the division to Man United and West Ham (both five) – with his sides conceding at least two goals on each occasion.

Crystal Palace Premier League form:

Crystal Palace form (all competitions):

Ipswich Town Premier League form:

Ipswich Town form (all competitions):

Team News

Crystal Palace will be without injured trio Chadi Riad (knee), Jean-Philippe Mateta (thigh) and Ismaila Sarr (groin), though Sage has revealed that the latter is expected to be back in training on Monday.

Long-term absentee Cheick Doucoure was an unused substitute in the win over Fulham before missing the EFL Cup victory due to illness. However, the midfielder is “fine” and could be selected in the matchday squad on Saturday.

After making eight changes in midweek, Sage is expected to revert to a stronger side, with Adam Wharton, Daichi Kamada, Yeremy Pino and Eddie Nketiah among those all pushing to earn a recall.

Anan Khalaili, who leads the Premier League for both tackles (17) and true tackles attempted (24), is set to return at right wing-back, while no defender has had more touches in the opposition box than Tyrick Mitchell (10), who is expected to start on the opposite flank.

As for Ipswich, Jaden Philogene (ankle), Azor Matusiwa (muscle) and Jack Taylor (knee) all remain unavailable as they continue to recover from injuries.

O'Neil is unlikely to make too many changes, if any, to his starting lineup, but he may be tempted to hand new signing Zian Flemming a start up front, which could put Emersonn’s position in the team at risk.

No Premier League player has attempted more shots this season without scoring than Julio Enciso (12), but the exciting Paraguayan is expected to continue in an advanced central role in between Abdul Fatawu and Daizen Maeda out wide.

Crystal Palace possible starting lineup:

Henderson; Canvot, Disasi, Richards; Khalaili, Timber, Wharton, Mitchell; Kamada, Pino; Strand Larsen

Ipswich Town possible starting lineup:

Scherpen; O'Shea, Diop, Greaves, Davis; Palacios, Lukic; Fatawu, Enciso, Maeda; Emersonn

We say: Crystal Palace 3-2 Ipswich Town

Taking into account the defensive vulnerabilities of both sides and their attacking credentials to threaten at the right end of the pitch, an entertaining contest with goals in both nets looks to be a near-certainty at Selhurst Park.

However, we feel that Palace should ultimately possess the necessary firepower to outscore the Tractor Boys, firing Sage to his first Premier League win on home soil.

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