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

Ipswich Town head into Saturday's East Anglian derby with Norwich City knowing that victory will ensure that they end the weekend in second position in the Championship table.

At a time when the Tractor Boys travel to Carrow Road pushing for automatic promotion, the Canaries will be attempting to maintain their lingering hopes of a playoff spot.

Match preview

While much of the focus in East Anglia has been on Ipswich's automatic promotion bid, Norwich have developed into one of the form clubs in the EFL.

Albeit having played a game more, Norwich have accumulated the same amount of points (46) as their rivals since Philippe Clement took over in November.

The 2-1 comeback victory at Millwall on Easter Monday also left the Canaries just one point short of Coventry City's total over the same period.

Although Norwich remain eight points adrift of the playoffs with five games remaining, collecting 19 points from their last eight fixtures has kept them in the hunt for a surprise top-six place.

Despite 10 defeats coming from their 20 league games at Carrow Road across the season, 13 points have been recorded from their most recent six such contests.

However, Norwich have gone nine Championship encounters without scoring more than two goals in a game.

With Middlesbrough and Millwall both floundering, the door has been left ajar for Ipswich to storm clear in the race for second position.

Monday's 2-1 victory at home to Birmingham City extended the Tractor Boys' unbeaten record to eight matches (W5 D3).

Still with two games in hand on the chasing pack, Ipswich can theoretically go six points clear of third and within six points of leaders Coventry if they take full advantage.

From Kieran McKenna's perspective, however, he will be focused on one match at a time, with Ipswich bidding to extend their unbeaten away streak to four outings.

Ipswich still have games against Middlesbrough and Southampton to come, upping the stakes ahead of this encounter as they bid to win at Carrow Road for the first time in 20 years.

Norwich City Championship form:

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Ipswich Town Championship form:

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Team News

Having changed the game against Millwall with two assists, Mohamed Toure will almost certainly take Mathias Kvistgaarden's place down the centre of the Norwich attack.

Oscar Schwartau may also get the nod on the right flank. That would leave Anis Ben Slimane at risk of dropping to the substitutes' bench.

If Kellen Fisher joins a lengthy injury list, Ben Chrisene will deputise at left-back.

Although Leif Davis should return for Ipswich after suspension, Azor Matusiwa is a major injury doubt after his first-half withdrawal against Birmingham.

Either Jack Taylor or Anis Mehmeti would be recalled to the starting lineup if the midfielder misses out.

Unless Jaden Philogene is brought into the team on the flank, the remainder of the starting lineup could stay the same.

Norwich City possible starting lineup:

Kovacevic; Stacey, Darling, Cordoba, Fisher; Field, Mattsson; Schwartau, McLean, Ahmed; Toure

Ipswich Town possible starting lineup:

Walton; Furlong, O'Shea, Greaves, Davis; Matusiwa, Neil; McAteer, Nunez, Clarke; Hirst

We say: Norwich City 1-1 Ipswich Town

With both teams in form, this should materialise into one of the most fiercely-fought East Anglian derbies for some time. While there is an argument that Norwich are the marginal favourites, we cannot back against Ipswich getting something for the game, even if it is in the form of a share of the spoils.

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