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

Promotion-chasing Ipswich Town will look to extend their four-game unbeaten run when they travel to Fratton Park for Sunday's meeting with Portsmouth.

Meanwhile, Pompey will be desperate to produce a positive response after falling to a heavy defeat against Bristol City on New Year's Day.

Match preview

Relegation-threatened Portsmouth enjoyed a strong end to 2025, picking up eight points in a four-game unbeaten run ahead of their New Year's Day clash with Bristol City.

However, all the confidence built from that run was extinguished in a chastening 5-0 defeat at Ashton Gate, representing their fifth defeat in six away matches.

While injuries may have played a role in the New Year's Day loss, John Mousinho will be aware that the result was a reflection of the team's ongoing struggles on the road, having seen his team go 10 road trips without a win since beating Oxford United on the opening day of the season (D4, L6).

Pompey, who are just a one point above the drop zone, will be grateful to have home advantage for Sunday's tricky game against Ipswich, especially as they have won three of their previous five matches at Fratton Park (D1, L1).

After beating Charlton Athletic in their most recent home meeting, the south coast side now have the opportunity of claiming back-to-back home league victories for the first time since February/March 2025.

If they are to achieve that feat, Portsmouth will have to beat Ipswich in a league contest for the first time since clinching a 2-1 home success in March 2021, when current Pompey midfielder Andre Dozzell was playing for the Tractor Boys.

In contrast to their hosts, Ipswich will head into Sunday's fixture in high spirits after dropping just two points in four games since suffering their most recent defeat in an away match against Leicester City.

The Tractor Boys wrapped up 2025 with wins over Sheffield Wednesday and leaders Coventry City on either side of a goalless draw against Millwall.

They went on to pick up three more points in their opening game of 2026, with Jaden Philogene and Chuba Akpom grabbing a goal apiece in a 2-1 success against Oxford at Portman Road.

A fourth consecutive home win enabled Ipswich to move into second place in the Championship table, leaving them a point ahead of third-placed Middlesbrough ahead of Sunday's round of fixtures.

Ipswich will travel to Fratton Park as the division's second-highest scorers with 42 goals and with the league's second-best defensive record, having conceded just 24 times in their 25 Championship outings.

The visitors will hope their attacking talent and strong defence can help them complete a league double over Portsmouth after picking up a 2-1 win in September's reverse fixture.

Portsmouth Championship form:

L W D D W L

Ipswich Town Championship form:

W L W D W W

Team News

Portsmouth are unable to call upon the services of Josh Knight, Connor Ogilvie, Florian Bianchini and Thomas Waddingham.

The hosts are also without the key trio of Callum Lang, Josh Murphy and Colby Bishop, while captain Marlon Pack is unlikely to feature due to a hamstring issue.

There are fears over the knee injury Mark Kosznovszky sustained in his substitute appearance against Charlton on Monday.

Hayden Matthews is another doubt after he was forced off in the closing stages against Bristol City, while Ipswich Town loanee Conor Chaplin is ineligible to face his parent club.

As for Ipswich, they are unable to call upon the defensive duo of Harry Clarke and Conor Townsend due to injury, although the former is also facing an uncertain future and could depart in the transfer window.

George Hirst, who previously spent time on loan at Portsmouth, will miss a fourth consecutive match with a groin injury.

Attacker Sammie Szmodics is hoping to prove his fitness in time after sitting out the last two matches with illness.

Jack Taylor and Jack Clarke are options to start if McKenna decides to freshen up his squad amid the busy schedule.

Portsmouth possible starting lineup:

Schmid; Devlin, Shaughnessy, Poole, Swanson; Dozzell, Swift; Yang, Segecic, Blair; Kirk

Ipswich Town possible starting lineup:

Walton; Furlong, O’Shea, Kipre, Davis; Matusiwa; Taylor; Egeli, Nunez, Clarke; Akpom

We say: Portsmouth 0-2 Ipswich Town

Portsmouth may be unbeaten in three home games, but they are without a number of key players and will still be reeling from the heavy loss against Bristol City.

In contrast, Ipswich will carry significant momentum into Sunday's game and could prove too strong for their relegation-threatened hosts.

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