
Ipswich Town host Manchester City for only the third time this century on Sunday afternoon, in a match that is of huge importance at both ends of the table.
If Ipswich fail to survive this season, their inability to make Portman Road a fortress will be a big reason for it. The Tractor Boys have collected just seven points from 11 home games, with the only victory coming against Chelsea in December.
They didn’t give supporters much to shout about against Brighton & Hove Albion on Thursday night. The hosts managed just five shots, allowing the Seagulls to claim a comfortable three points.
Former Man City player Liam Delap will lead the line for Kieran McKenna’s side. The 21-year-old has eight goals to his name this term, twice as many as anybody else in the squad.
City looked to be on an upward trajectory after three wins on the spin, and they were heading for a fourth consecutive success as they entered the final 10 minutes at Brentford but the two late goals they conceded showed that the cracks still exist.
The defending champions find themselves in sixth place and could be as low as eighth by the time they kick off at Portman Road.
On a positive note, Phil Foden continued his purple patch with a brace at the Gtech Community Stadium while Kevin De Bruyne, who gave the England international an assist for the opener, is also back in favour and form.
The reverse fixture at the Etihad Stadium in August was the first meeting between the sides since 2002. City won 4-1 that afternoon, but historically it’s the Tractor Boys who boast the most head-to-head triumphs.
Both clubs were a part of the inaugural Premier League campaign and traded 3-1 victories at their respective homes. City won three and drew one of their next four top-flight encounters before both were relegated in the mid-1990s.
Ipswich completed a double over City upon their return to the top tier in 2000-01 en route to a fifth-place finish. They also won a League Cup quarter-final at Maine Road that season.
Ipswich vs Man City has typically been a goal-heavy Premier League fixture, and that trend from decades ago continued into this season as City won 4-1 five months ago.
By their high standards, City’s away record has been poor in 2024-25, but Ipswich’s home form is far worse.
De Bruyne looks to be getting back to his best. The best bet for this match is for the Belgian to register a goal or an assist.
He had to settle for a place on the bench in five successive matches in November upon his return from injury, but having earned the right to be a regular starter again, De Bruyne is showing flashes of his very best self.
His delivery for Foden’s first effort on Tuesday was vintage De Bruyne. That was his second assist in as many games and the 33-year-old is as likely as anyone to unlock the door at Portman Road.
No player with more than 200 minutes under their belt this season has a greater ‘expected assists per 90’ figure than De Bruyne’s 0.41. He is also running at 0.24 xG per 90, which makes his odds to score or assist particularly appealing against the struggling Ipswich on Sunday.
Pep Guardiola will undoubtedly have eyes on Wednesday’s pivotal Champions League fixture against Paris Saint-Germain so De Bruyne is a substitution risk. He did, however, sit out the visit of Salford City, so the 10-day break before the Brentford fixture should mean he is capable of playing the full 90 if necessary.
Users must be 18+. If you are having trouble with gambling then help and advice can be found at begambleaware.org. Please Play Responsibly.
Trading financial products carries a high risk to your capital, especially trading leverage products such as CFDs. CFDs are complex instruments and come with a high risk of losing money rapidly due to leverage. Between 74-89% of retail investor accounts lose money when trading CFDs. You should consider whether you understand how CFDs work and whether you can afford to take the high risk of losing your money.