MX23RW : Friday, April 19 22:48:33| >> :600:659294:659294:
[monks data]
Burnley logo
Championship
Apr 26, 2014 at 12.15pm UK
 
Ipswich logo

1-0

Kightly (54')
FT(HT: 0-0)

Preview: Burnley vs. Ipswich Town

Sports Mole looks ahead to Saturday's Championship clash between promoted Burnley and playoff-chasing Ipswich at Turf Moor.

While Turf Moor will be the scene of a promotion party for Burnley on Saturday, visitors Ipswich Town arrive in Lancashire with everything still to fight for.

The Tractor Boys have suffered a dip in form at the worst possible time, with a defeat to Watford and a fortuitous draw with Bournemouth over the Easter period.

However, no-one seems to want to make the final playoff position their own and, as such, Ipswich are still very much in the mix with just two points separating them from sixth-placed Reading.

However, victory over the league's second-best team is a must if they are to keep their increasingly slim hopes alive. Anything other than three points could see their playoff prospects ended this weekend, depending on results elsewhere.

Ultimately, matters are already out of their own hands, with Reading, Brighton & Hove Albion and Nottingham Forest all better placed in terms of points or goal difference.

However, should results go their way this weekend then they could find themselves in the driving seat going into the final game of the season, which sees them host Sheffield Wednesday.

Their away form has been respectable in recent weeks, with three victories and three clean sheets in their last five outings, but they will need arguably their biggest away performance of the season if they are to triumph at Turf Moor.

The visitors could be handed a fitness boost in the shape of Christophe Berra, but Luke Hyam will not recover in time while David McGoldrick remains a long-term absentee.

Ipswich's plight could well be helped by Burnley's promotion, with the Clarets unable to finish any higher or lower than second and likely to have one eye already on the Premier League next season.

A 2-0 victory over Wigan Athletic on Easter Monday secured their passage back into the top flight, a remarkable feat from Sean Dyche considering the relatively small squad and budget at his disposal.

Success in the Premier League with such a small squad is a much tougher ask, however, and Dyche will already have his sights set on potential targets that may help his side compete in the big time next season.

Consequently, some of the Burnley players who have helped gain promotion could be playing for their future in the final two matches of the season, a surefire way to motivate them not to tail off.

Fans at Turf Moor will want to cap their campaign off with a win in the final home match, and it is a ground that has been kind to the Clarets this season.

Their first home league defeat of the season came at the end of last month and, although that was swiftly followed by another, it has been something of a fortress for Burnley, a factor that they will be keen to continue in the top flight.

However, they will be without Sam Vokes for Saturday's match, while Dyche could opt to make a number of changes in order to have a look at players who could be on the verge of leaving the club.

Recent form

Burnley: LDWLWW

Ipswich: DLWWLD

Possible starting lineups

Burnley: Heaton; Trippier, Shackell, Duff, Mee; Jones, Arfield; Kightly, Ings, Marney; Barnes

Ipswich: Gerken; Chambers, Berra, Smith, Cresswell; Wordsworth, Skuse, Green, Anderson; Williams; Murphy

Sports Mole says: 2-2


ID:151571: cacheID:151571:1false2false3false:QQ:: from db desktop :LenBod:restore:5575:No Data Analysis info

Previews by email

Click here to get Sports Mole's daily email of previews and predictions for every major game!


Restore Data
Share this article now:
Ipswich's Luke Chambers in action against Derby on October 23, 2012
Read Next:
Team News: Chambers reverts to centre-back
>
rhs 2.0
Today's games header
Tables header RHS
TeamPWDLFAGDPTS
1Ipswich TownIpswich432611685533289
2Leicester CityLeicester422841079384188
3Leeds UnitedLeeds43269876344287
4Southampton42259884543084
5West Bromwich AlbionWest Brom4320121166422472
6Norwich CityNorwich432181476601671
7Hull City421811136254865
8Coventry CityCoventry4217121366521463
9Middlesbrough43189166156563
10Preston North EndPreston43189165660-463
11Cardiff CityCardiff43185204860-1259
12Bristol City431610175046458
13Sunderland43168195250256
14Swansea CitySwansea431411185362-953
15Watford431216155958152
16Millwall431311194255-1350
17Blackburn RoversBlackburn431310205771-1449
18Plymouth ArgylePlymouth431212195866-848
19Queens Park RangersQPR431211204057-1747
20Stoke CityStoke431211204160-1947
21Birmingham CityBirmingham43129224864-1645
22Huddersfield TownHuddersfield43917174770-2344
23Sheffield WednesdaySheff Weds43128233667-3144
RRotherham UnitedRotherham43411283285-5323


Sports Mole provides in-depth previews and predictions for every match from the biggest leagues and competitions in world football.
Argentina's Lionel Messi kisses the World Cup trophy after collecting the Golden Ball award on December 18, 2022Sign up for our FREE daily preview newsletter direct to your inbox!