Ipswich Town take on Fulham, at Craven Cottage, in a Championship match this afternoon (3pm ko). Here’s your match preview.
What’s to play for?
Town’s relegation fears were all but ended in midweek. A positive performance, helped by some shambolic Wigan defending, saw Mick McCarthy’s men ease to a 3-0 home win over the second-bottom side. With everyone else down at the bottom losing, the gap to the drop zone is now a healthy nine points with six games to play.
Fulham are just two points adrift of the play-off places and could leapfrog Sheffield Wednesday today.
Current form
Tuesday night was only Town’s third win in 2017. Optimists will point out they have lost only once in their last 11 outings now.
Fulham lost 4-2 at Derby in midweek as David Nugent bagged a hat-trick in a wide open game. The Cottagers ground out a 1-0 win at rock-bottom Rotherham last weekend and before that dropped home points against lowly Wolves (lost 3-1) and Blackburn (drew 2-2). They have the least number of home wins (eight) out of the division’s top 11 teams.
Head-to-head
McCarthy admits his team were ‘hopeless’ when they were passed off the park by Fulham in the reverse fixture – a 2-0 defeat on Boxing Day – and insists his side ‘won’t let them play’ today.
Town have won their last two trips to Craven Cottage by a score of 2-1 and haven’t lost there since a 10-1 thrashing on Boxing Day in 1963.
Close to 2,500 Blues fans are set to pack the away end today and, as has become tradition, many will enjoy a party boat trip up the Thames beforehand.
Bosses say
Mick McCarthy: “Imagine if we’d have lost (on Tuesday) and everyone else had won? It could have been three points (above the relegation zone) with Fulham, Burton and Newcastle to come. They’ll still be tough games, but not as tough now.”
Slavisa Jokanovic: “We must all stick together and be strong, fighting until the end. I believe my team play the best football, but we haven’t made enough good results. In these six games left we have to hit fifth gear and push hard to fight to be at the top of the table.”
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