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

Still with their top-two fate in their own hands, Ipswich Town welcome out-of-form Birmingham City to Portman Road for a Championship clash on Monday.

The Tractor Boys take to the pitch for the first time since the March international break in East Anglia, whereas Blues are looking to make amends after Friday's defeat to Blackburn Rovers.

Match preview

After collecting just 22 points across the entire Premier League campaign in 2024-25, Ipswich Town are hoping to earn another bite at the top-flight cherry under the stewardship of highly-rated head coach Kieran McKenna.

Due to Southampton's progression into the quarter-finals of the FA Cup, the Tractor Boys sat out of the Championship's Good Friday action, afforded extended time to analyse a 1-1 draw with promotion rivals Millwall on March 21.

In the midst of a seven-game unbeaten run (W4 L3) stretching back to February, Ipswich are currently occupying fourth spot in the second-tier standings, three points behind Alex Neil's Lions in second despite playing two fewer games.

Opening the scoring versus Millwall last time out, former Sunderland star Jack Clarke has enjoyed an excellent second season with the Tractor Boys, netting 14 Championship goals across 38 appearances.

Clarke and company will be supremely confident of extending their undefeated run at Portman Road to 15 league contests on Monday, with the hosts boasting the second-best home record in the division behind runaway leaders Coventry City.

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Picking up a fifth defeat in their past seven matches, Chris Davies and his confidence-depleted Birmingham side were met by loud boos from the St Andrew's @ Knighthead Park faithful after their 1-0 defeat to Blackburn on Friday.

A Second City crowd of over 27,000 witnessed a typical Championship affair in which Blues failed to take advantage of promising first-half opportunities, with Todd Cantwell securing maximum points for the visitors in the second half.

Earning just four points from their past seven contests, Birmingham have proven why they are nowhere near the playoff pace this season, with the visitors to Portman Road lying 11 points behind the top six.

Since the standout 2-1 win at Carrow Road versus Norwich City on February 21, Blues have lost each of their past three away matches by an aggregate scoreline of 5-0, hinting towards a difficult afternoon in East Anglia on Monday.

Birmingham's recent record at Portman Road fails to provide any reason for optimism, with Blues losing five and drawing four of their past nine games at the venue, last winning at Ipswich in December 2008.

Ipswich Town Championship form:

Birmingham City Championship form:

Team News

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An alumni of West Midlands football, Ipswich's Conor Townsend is sidelined with a serious knee injury.

A major part of the Tractor Boys' 2023-24 promotion-winning campaign, Wes Burns is out because of a muscular issue.

Birmingham boss Davies has confirmed that striker Kyogo Furuhashi recently underwent surgery on a long-standing shoulder problem.

The Japan international will not feature for Blues again this season - one which promised so much following his summer switch from Rennes.

All of the visitors' left-backs are occupying beds in the medical room, with Kai Wagner (shoulder), Alex Cochrane (ankle) and Lee Buchanan (knee) out of action.

Ipswich Town possible starting lineup:

Walton; Furlong, O'Shea, Greaves, Johnson; Matusiwa, Neil, McAteer, Mehmeti, Clarke; Hirst

Birmingham City possible starting lineup:

Beadle; Iwata, Klarer, Robinson, Laird; Solis, Paik, Vicente, Fujimoto, Osman; Stansfield

We say: Ipswich Town 2-0 Birmingham City

With an extended break under their belt, Ipswich should be ready to put Birmingham to the sword at Portman Road.

Blues are on the metaphorical beach and do not look like causing an upset on their East Anglian travels.

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