Preview: Everton vs Ipswich Town - prediction, team news, lineups

Fresh from contrasting midweek results in the EFL Cup, Everton and Ipswich Town square off at the Hill Dickinson Stadium in the Premier League on Saturday afternoon.

The two teams last butted heads in May 2025 when the Tractor Boys came from two goals down to draw 2-2 with the Toffees at Goodison Park.

Match preview

After failing to win any of their final seven Premier League matches last season, Everton have since put together a six-game unbeaten run at the start of the new campaign, picking up six points from their opening four Premier League matches (W1 D3).

The Toffees recorded their third successive top-flight draw last weekend, after producing a “gutsy” performance in the eyes of manager David Moyes to claim a “well-earned” point in a goalless stalemate with Tottenham Hotspur in North London.

However, Everton returned to winning ways on Wednesday, as Charly Alcaraz scored just three minutes after coming off the bench to seal a slender 1-0 home victory against Championship side Wolves in the EFL Cup, setting up a fourth-round tie with Newcastle next month.

Everton’s upcoming clash with Ipswich encapsulates the fine margins of the Premier League, where a victory would leave the Toffees unbeaten with an impressive nine points from five games, whereas a defeat would suddenly cast a tinge of disappointment over their start with just one win to their name heading into the international break.

Moyes and co head into Saturday’s fixture having prevailed in only one of their last six Premier League meetings with Ipswich, failing to win any of their last three on home soil and conceding seven goals in the process.

Ipswich secured their second Premier League win of the season since clinching promotion when they left it late to beat 10-man Crystal Palace 3-2 in an eventful contest at Selhurst Park last weekend.

New signing Zian Flemming netted a 90th-minute winner to claim maximum points and head coach Gary O’Neil was able to take “some big pluses” from his team’s performance, having previously suffered back-to-back losses to Man United (5-2) and Liverpool (2-0).

With two wins in their opening four league games, Ipswich have already reached half of their entire win total from their previous top-flight campaign in 2024-25, when it took them until mid-December (16 games) to register a second victory.

The Tractor Boys have since been knocked out of the EFL Cup, as they were “heavily punished by a very clinical” Arsenal side inspired by teenage sensation Max Dowman, with the Gunners running out 4-2 victors in the third round at Portman Road on Wednesday.

Not only will Ipswich be seeking to make a swift return to winning ways on Saturday, but they also travel to Merseyside aiming to claim consecutive Premier League away wins for the first time since February 2002 under former boss Joe Royle.

Everton Premier League form:

Everton form (all competitions):

Ipswich Town Premier League form:

Ipswich Town form (all competitions):

Team News

Everton’s summer signing Christian Norgaard (groin) is targeting a return from injury after the international break while a late call is set to be made on the availability of Merlin Rohl who is dealing with an unspecified issue.

James Tarkowski, Jarrad Branthwaite, Tyrique George and Brennan Johnson could all be recalled after beginning as substitutes in midweek, though Tyler Dibling will hope to continue ahead of either of the latter two following his man-of-the-match display against Wolves.

Jack Grealish is another wide option hoping to start his first league game since re-joining the Toffees on loan, while Hayden Hackney could battle Harrison Armstrong for a start in midfield alongside James Garner.

As for Ipswich, Jack Taylor remains sidelined with a knee injury, while Emersonn missed the midweek cup loss to Arsenal with a thigh issue and is a doubt for Saturday along with Azor Matusiwa (thigh).

Flemming could therefore be handed his first league start for the Tractor Boys up front, with Julio Enciso, Abdul Fatawu and Jack Clarke all strong contenders to earn recalls and provide support in attack.

Leif Davis has been a standout performer for Ipswich at left-back, contributing to three goals (two goals, one assist) in his last thee top-flight appearances, and he is expected to return in defence along with captain Dara O’Shea and Issa Diop.

Everton possible starting lineup:

Pickford; Maitland-Niles, Tarkowski, Branthwaite, Mykolenko; Garner, Hackney; George, Dewsbury-Hall, Grealish; Barry

Ipswich Town possible starting lineup:

Scherpen; O'Shea, Diop, Greaves, Davis; Palacios, Lukic; Fatawu, Enciso, Clarke; Flemming

We say: Everton 2-1 Ipswich Town

Ipswich have already prevailed against European teams Sunderland and Crystal Palace this season and they will back themselves to cause another upset on their travels this weekend.

However, the Tractor Boys remain defensively vulnerable, and a resilient Everton outfit have our backing to prevail on home soil, extending their unbeaten start to the Premier League season.

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