Ipswich vs Fulham Prediction: Little to separate sides at Portman Road

Ipswich Town go in search of their first Premier League point/s of the 2024/25 season when they host Fulham at Portman Road on Saturday (15:00). The Tractor Boys endured a tough start to the campaign, losing 2-0 at home to Liverpool (H) on the opening weekend before falling to a 4-1 defeat at Manchester City seven days later.

Meanwhile, the Cottagers got off the mark last Saturday, beating Leicester City 2-1 at Craven Cottage to put a late 1-0 defeat at Manchester United behind them. Read on for my Ipswich vs Fulham prediction, complete with all the latest team news and match odds, ahead of this clash in Suffolk.

Team News

Ipswich lost on penalties to AFC Wimbledon in the second round of the Carabao Cup on Wednesday, a game where head coach Kieran McKenna made 10 changes to his starting XI, with only right-back Ben Johnson keeping his place from the weekend defeat in Manchester.

The likes of goalkeeper Arijanet Muric, Sam Morsy and Omari Hutchinson look set to return to the line-up on Saturday, but new arrivals Dara O'Shea, Chiedozie Ogbene, Kalvin Phillips and Jack Clarke will hope to keep their spots after being given full debuts at the Cherry Red Records Stadium.

Nathan Broadhead, Wes Burns, Harrison Clarke and George Hirst remain injured, however.

Football Odds

Fulham head coach Marco Silva could keep faith with the 11 players that started last Saturday's win against Leicester, although Joachim Andersen will be hoping to force his way into the line-up after making his second debut in Tuesday's 2-0 Carabao Cup victory over Birmingham City. Issa Diop is most at risk of losing his place to the Danish defender.

Sander Berge also made his Whites debut in that win and is vying for a start on Saturday.

Ipswich vs Fulham Odds

*Please click on the link above to be taken to the main Ipswich vs Fulham page on betfred.com (or app) for all the live betting prices on this match.

Ipswich are 15/8 to win a Premier League game for the first time since April 2002, giving them an implied probability of 34.8%, while Fulham are 5/4, or a 44.4% chance, to record back-to-back victories in the league.

The draw is available at 12/5, both teams to score at 8/13, and over 2.5 total goals at 8/11.

Bet Builder - Emile Smith Rowe 2+ Shots, Jacob Greaves 1+ Shots, Sasa Lukic, 2+ Tackles, Leif Davis 2+ Fouls @ 17/2

Using Betfred's '#PickYourPunt' tab on the Ipswich vs Fulham homepage, I have drawn up a four-pronged 17/2 bet builder featuring two players from either side.

The first leg involves Fulham's record signing Emile Smith Rowe, who scored his first goal in Black and White against Leicester last weekend. The 24-year-old's first effort of the game, in the fifth minute, was blocked, but 13 minutes later the ex-Arsenal number 10 fired the game's opening goal with his left foot.

Smith Rowe was a late substitute in Tuesday's cup win, so looks primed to start at Portman Road on Saturday, and I think he will be trying his luck again to add to his tally, at least matching the number of shots he produced against the Foxes.

Secondly, I'm backing Ipswich defender Jacob Greaves to register at least one shot. The 23-year-old summer signing from Hull City put himself about on the opening weekend, shooting twice from set-piece situations against Liverpool, the first of which forced a save from Reds goalkeeper Alisson Becker.

Greaves was kept quiet at the Etihad last weekend but back at Portman Road, and against a side much inferior to that of Man City, I would expect him to make a nuisance of himself in the opposition's penalty area again. The centre-back averaged 0.7 shots per game in the Championship last season and 0.5 in the season before. Fulham conceded to Leicester defender Wout Faes last weekend, who scored with the second of his three shots at Craven Cottage, while fellow central defender Jannik Vestergaard also registered a shot from a corner.

The third leg of this bet builder involves Fulham midfielder Sasa Lukic, who has taken on even more responsibility following the sale of Joao Palhinha to Bayern Munich. Berge has recently been acquired from Sheffield United to lessen the burden on the Serbian, and the Norwegian was handed his debut in midweek, but it remains to be seen whether he is thrust straight into the starting XI in the Premier League at Portman Road.

Regardless, I expect Lukic to be as busy as ever in the middle of midfield, snapping into challenges. The 28-year-old averaged 2.5 tackles per game in the Premier League last season and has started the new campaign with three against Manchester United and two versus Leicester, so he looks good to make at least two in Suffolk.

Finally, I've selected Ipswich left-back Leif Davis to make a couple of fouls. The 24-year-old has played the duration of Town's opening two league games, making two fouls up against Mohamed Salah and co before making a single foul at the Etihad.

The former Leeds United man will have his work cut out on Saturday to deal with Fulham speedster Adama Traore, who has started the Cottagers' first two league games. The Spaniard was fouled twice in the opening game against Manchester United, with Red Devils left-back Diogo Dalot penalised twice at Old Trafford and Davis - who averaged one foul per game in the Championship last season - could be forced to take alternative action to deal with Traore.

Match Result - Draw @ 12/5

Saturday's contest is a tough one to call, which is why I'm opting for a draw. Both sides will be targeting this game as one they can win, with Ipswich pointless after two gruelling fixtures against Liverpool and Manchester City, and Fulham looking to build on their first victory of the season against Leicester.

Ipswich need to make their games at Portman Road count, so a match against a side that finished 13th last year should be one they can realistically win. The Tractor Boys collected more points (54) at home than any other side in the Championship last season, so they know the value of making their ground a fortress.

Fulham, meanwhile, averaged just under a point per game on their travels in 2023/24, picking up 18 points from 19 away trips. The Cottages have made a couple of statement signings this summer, bringing in Smith Rowe and Andersen, and will be looking to take all three points this weekend.

Ultimately, I think the two teams may cancel each other out, with a score draw a real possibility.

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