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

Ipswich Town will look to extend their four-game unbeaten run when they welcome Wrexham to Portman Road on Saturday.

The Tractor Boys head into the weekend in seventh position in the Championship table, while the Red Dragons are two points behind in 13th spot.

Match preview

Looking to secure an immediate return to the Premier League, Ipswich carried significant momentum into the international break after dropping just two points in a four-game period.

Kieran McKenna's side claimed back-to-back wins over West Bromwich Albion and Queens Park Rangers, before they played out a 1-1 draw with Watford at Portman Road.

Ipswich then returned to winning ways in emphatic fashion in their away clash with Swansea City, running out 4-1 winners thanks to efforts from Jack Clarke and Ivan Azon, as well as a couple of own goals from ex-Tractor Boys defender Cameron Burgess.

As a result of their recent upturn in form, Ipswich are now just two points adrift of the top six and six points away from the automatic promotion spots.

They will be looking to add three more points to their tally in their first EFL clash against Wrexham, with their only previous competitive meeting taking place in the 1994-95 FA Cup, where they fell to a 2-1 defeat in the third round.

As the league's joint second-highest scorers, Ipswich will hope that their firepower will be enough to break down a Wrexham side that have conceded just seven times in as many away league games this term.

Like their hosts, Wrexham put together a strong run of form in the lead-up to the international break, recording three victories and two draws to build a five-game unbeaten league run.

The Red Dragons clinched a win against Oxford United and Coventry City, either side of a 1-1 draw with Middlesbrough, before they played out a goalless affair in their away clash with Portsmouth.

They returned to the Racecourse Ground to edge out Charlton Athletic by a narrow 1-0 scoreline, which came courtesy of Josh Windass's 77th-minute penalty.

That result represented their third consecutive home league win, and they will be keen to transfer that form onto the road after failing to win any of their past four away assignments.

While they have struggled for away wins of late, Wrexham have proven to be a tough team to beat on their travels, having lost just one of their previous seven matches on the road.

A victory on Saturday would see them move above Ipswich in the standings, with Wrexham looking to close the four-point gap to the top six as they dream of mounting a bid to achieve a fourth consecutive promotion.

Ipswich Town Championship form:

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Wrexham Championship form:

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Wrexham form (all competitions):

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Team News

The Ipswich quartet of Harry Clarke, Conor Townsend, Wes Burns and Sammie Szmodics are all sidelined with knee injuries.

Goalkeeper Christian Walton will continue to deputise for Alex Palmer, who is in the treatment room with a calf problem.

Midfielder Azor Matusiwa will serve a one-match ban after picking up his fifth yellow card of the season.

As for the visitors, Manchester City loanee Issa Kabore will be out for six weeks after sustaining a hamstring injury while on international duty with Burkina Faso.

Wrexham are also without the services of Danny Ward, Lewis Brunt, Aaron James, Elliot Lee, Andy Cannon and Jay Rodriguez.

Wing-back Liberato Cacace and forward Kieffer Moore are on course to prove their fitness in time for Saturday's away trip after withdrawing from the New Zealand and Wales squads respectively.

Ipswich Town possible starting lineup:

Walton; Furlong, O'Shea, Greaves, Davis; Cajuste, Taylor; Clarke, Nunez, Philogene; Azon

Wrexham possible starting lineup:

Okonkwo; Cleworth, Scarr, Hyam; Barnett, Dobson, Sheaf, Thomason, Cacace; Windass; Moore

We say: Ipswich Town 1-1 Wrexham

Ipswich will be targeting another win after recording three victories in their last four matches, but we think that the hosts could be left frustrated by a Wrexham side that have lost just one of their previous seven away outings.

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