Preview: Ipswich Town vs. Bristol Rovers - prediction, team news, lineups

Looking to enactment their 2024 FA Cup embarrassment firmly down them, Ipswich Town volition invited Bristol Rovers to Portman Road for a third-round clash connected Sunday afternoon.

The Tractor Boys enjoyed a share of the spoils astatine Craven Cottage against Fulham past clip out, whilst the Gas managed a much-needed triumph successful League One pursuing a alteration successful management.

Match preview

© Imago

In the midst of a highly-successive 2 campaigns, successful which promotion from League One to the Premier League was secured, Ipswich Town endured a shocking day astatine Portman Road successful the 4th circular of the FA Cup past season, losing 2-1 to National League South outfit Maidstone United.

Whilst the Tractor Boys volition beryllium hopeless to debar a akin upset this Sunday, the bulk of their absorption has understandably fallen connected their archetypal top-flight play successful 2 decades, with Kieran McKenna's men warring hard to debar an contiguous instrumentality to the stresses of the Championship.

Following back-to-back defeats to Newcastle United and Arsenal, Ipswich person enjoyed an upturn successful signifier to reason their festive schedule, earning 4 points crossed 2 top-flight battles with Enzo Maresca's Chelsea and chap West London challengers Fulham astatine Craven Cottage.

Forged successful the Championship, a onslaught concern of Sammie Szmodics and Liam Delap some made the nett ripple for the Tractor Boys astatine Craven Cottage past clip out, though a brace of penalties from Raul Jimenez forced a stock of the league points connected a rainy day successful the capital.

Earning a quartet of points from their past 2 matches, McKenna's troops get astatine their FA Cup-shaped intermission sitting 18th spot successful the Premier League standings, 10 points supra whipping boys Southampton and level connected points with Wolverhampton Wanderers successful the comparative comfortableness of 17th.

© Imago

For the archetypal clip successful a caller epoch nether the stewardship of forward-thinking Spaniard Inigo Calderon, Bristol Rovers enjoyed maximum points from a League One contention past clip out, with the West Country outfit battling to a much-needed 1-0 triumph astatine the location of relegation-threatened Cambridge United.

The Gas halted a seven-game winless tally successful the 3rd tier stretching backmost to November with occurrence astatine the U's, with a maiden league extremity of the 2024-25 run for winger Luke Thomas proving to beryllium the decisive infinitesimal successful a lucifer betwixt 2 clubs who are warring for survival.

Bristol Rovers parted institution with erstwhile brag Matt Taylor successful the mediate of December successful a bid to region themselves from the bottommost 4 of the League One standings, nevertheless a hard festive play means that Calderon's men are presently occupying 20th place, conscionable 5 points up of Crawley Town successful 21st.

Scoring lone 22 times crossed 24 third-tier matches to date, uncovering the backmost of the nett has been a existent contented for the Gas this term, a occupation that could beryllium acceptable to worsen pursuing quality surrounding starring marksman Promise Omochere, who has picked up a superior hamstring injury.

Calderon's troops person enjoyed a humble commencement to their FA Cup escapade this season, easing past the attentions of non-league broadside Weston Super Mare successful the archetypal circular earlier booking a day successful East Anglia with Ipswich courtesy of a second-round penalty-shootout occurrence implicit Barnsley.

Ipswich Town signifier (all competitions):

Bristol Rovers FA Cup form:

Bristol Rovers signifier (all competitions):

Team News

© Imago

Ipswich are acceptable to beryllium without the services of influential winger Omari Hutchinson owed to a musculus injury, with the ex-Chelsea youngster scoring against the Blues past clip retired astatine Portman Road.

The Tractor Boys' options successful onslaught are restricted further by the lack of Conor Chaplin, who is expected to beryllium sidelined until precocious January due to the fact that of a genu injury.

Until Ipswich implicit a woody for Aston Villa winger Jaden Philogene, McKenna's choices connected the close flank stay constricted owed to the absences of Axel Tuanzebe (hamstring) and Chiedozie Ogbene (Achilles).

As mentioned previously, Bristol Rovers are incapable to telephone upon the talents of four-goal Omochere, meaning that the visitors volition necessitate caller solutions astatine the apical extremity of the pitch.

There is amended quality for the Gas regarding their antiaircraft line, though, with seasoned Jack Hunt successful contention to diagnostic successful East Anglia aft implicit 2 months connected the sidelines.

Ipswich Town imaginable starting lineup:
Muric; H Clarke, Burgess, Woolfenden, Townsend; Phillips, Taylor, J Clarke, Burns, Broadhead; Al Hamadi

We say: Ipswich Town 2-0 Bristol Rovers

With past year's Maidstone nightmare successful the backmost of their minds, Ipswich should beryllium afloat concentrated connected avoiding different large FA Cup upset this weekend.

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