Preview: Ipswich Town vs Norwich City - prediction, team news, lineups

Looking to record their first victory in the East Anglian derby in over 16 years, Ipswich Town welcome Norwich City to Portman Road in the Championship on Sunday afternoon.

The Tractor Boys have enjoyed an upturn in form following a shaky start to the term, whilst the Canaries are continuing to stutter in their quest for a top-six push.

Match preview

Following their first season back in the Premier League for two decades last time around and an immediate relegation, Ipswich Town are one of the favourites for the Championship title this season, with Sunday's hosts beginning to hit their best form as the October international break approaches.

Kieran McKenna's troops extended their unbeaten run in the second tier to four matches on Tuesday night when they secured a share of the spoils at Ashton Gate against Bristol City, who took the lead through defender Robert Atkinson before Jack Clarke netted his third of the term from the penalty spot.

After collecting eight points from their most recent quartet of the second-tier battles, the Tractor Boys have moved up to 13th spot in the Championship standings ahead of this weekend's East Anglian derby, just three points behind Leicester City in the lowest of the playoff spots.

As was the case during their promotion-winning campaign of 2023-24 in this division, Ipswich have been mightily impressive at Portman Road in the opening weeks of this season, with the Suffolk-based club unbeaten across four Championship matches in front of their home faithful.

Despite enjoying more success overall in recent years courtesy of their brief Premier League stint, the Tractor Boys have been playing second fiddle to Norwich in this encounter for the majority of the past two decades, with Ipswich's last victory in this fixture coming all the way back in April 2009.

For the first time in the club's proud history, Norwich City have suffered five straight competitive home defeats at the beginning of a season after another sobering night at Carrow Road on Wednesday, when a single strike from Josh Maja was enough to claim victory for West Bromwich Albion.

Unbeaten across their last 12 matches (W7 D5) in the East Anglian derby, the Canaries are likely to welcome their upcoming trip across the county, although there will be serious concerns that their 16 years of bragging rights could end at Portman Road on Sunday.

Still pointless from four home matches at the start of the 2025-26 term in the second tier, Liam Manning's troops are hovering nervously over the relegation zone in 19th spot, just two points ahead of 22nd-placed Blackburn Rovers, who have played a game fewer.

Hoping to avoid stretching their winless run in the division to five matches this weekend, the Canaries will be highly reliant on the attacking talents of United States international Joshua Sargent, who is going through a tough spell on a personal note, failing to score in each of his last four appearances.

For all their struggles at Carrow Road this season, Manning's men have fared excellently on their travels and boast a tally of eight points from four matches, earning shares of the spoils at promotion contenders Coventry City and Stoke City in September.

Ipswich Town Championship form:

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Ipswich Town form (all competitions):

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Norwich City Championship form:

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Team News

Part of the strong ex-West Brom contingent in the Ipswich backline, Conor Townsend is currently on the sidelines because of a serious knee injury.

As a result, the Tractor Boys are short of options at left-back, where chief creator Leif Davis is expected to play once again this weekend.

Further reducing the hosts' options at the back, Harry Clarke is nursing a knee injury sustained during the latter part of the summer.

Only appearing as a substitute earlier in the week against West Brom, Jovon Makama will be hoping for a Norwich start in his first taste of the East Anglian derby.

A constant nuisance on the flanks with his persistent running, Jack Stacey should retain his spot at right-back for the out-of-form visitors at Portman Road.

Ipswich Town possible starting lineup:

Palmer; Furlong, O'Shea, Greaves, Davis; Matusiwa, Nunez; Akpom, Philogene, Clarke; Hirst

Norwich City possible starting lineup:

Kovacevic; Stacey, Cordoba, Darling, Fisher; Mattson, McLean; Crnac, Marcondes, Schwartau; Sargent