Ipswich vs Southampton Prediction: Enciso to open Town account at Portman Road

Two of this season's promoted clubs will battle it out on Saturday afternoon (15:00) as 2023/24 EFL Championship runners-up Ipswich Town host play-off final winners Southampton at Portman Road. The Tractor Boys beat the Saints home (3-2) and away (0-1) in the second tier and scored a 95th-minute equaliser at St Mary's Stadium last September to salvage a point in a 1-1 draw on the South Coast.

Below is my Ipswich vs Southampton prediction, complete with all the latest team news and match odds, as the Premier League strugglers meet again in Suffolk.

Team News

Sammie Szmodics (ankle), Chiedozie Ogbene (calf), Conor Chaplin and Wes Burns (both knee) all miss out for Ipswich on Saturday, while Jens Cajuste (unspecified) and Leif Davis (illness) are considered doubtful.

Harry Clarke and Ali Al-Hamadi recently completed loan moves to the Championship, joining Sheffield United and Stoke City respectively, but Kieran McKenna's squad has been bolstered this month by the permanent addition of Jaden Philogene from Aston Villa and the loan arrivals of Ben Godfrey (Aston Villa) and Julio Enciso (Brighton & Hove Albion).

Enciso made his debut off the bench against Liverpool and is in contention to make his full debut this weekend.

Football Odds

Southampton's teenage star Tyler Dibling (ankle) is out injured while there are doubts over Kamaldeen Sulemana (hamstring), Ross Stewart (calf), Aaron Ramsdale (muscle), Jack Stephens (unspecified) and new signing Albert Gronbaek (fitness).

Ipswich vs Southampton Odds

Ipswich are 1/1 to win a Premier League game for the first time this calendar year while Southampton are 11/4, or a 26.7% chance, to claim a first away victory of the season.

The draw is priced at 13/5 and both teams to score at 4/6.

Match Result & Both Teams to Score - Ipswich & Yes @ 13/5

Both teams were on the scoresheet in both meetings between the two last year with Ipswich beating Southampton 3-2 in the Championship at Portman Road in April 2024 and taking a point from a 1-1 draw in the Premier League at St Mary's just under six months later.

Southampton have lost their last three games but managed to score in all three and have found the net in 10 of their 19 defeats.

Punters could be tempted by an Ipswich win to nil on Saturday but Saints have shown in recent weeks that they are prepared to give things a good go, despite the lack of quality in the side and the fact they are almost certain to be relegated. At this stage, it's almost a free hit for the South Coast club, and that could lead them to some dangerous situations on Saturday.

Ipswich have suffered a couple of heavy defeats in recent weeks, shipping six at home to Manchester City (0-6) before falling to a 4-1 loss at Liverpool last weekend, but they should be buoyed by a home game against comfortably the worst team in the league.

It's a game the Tractor Boys really ought to be winning if they have any designs on staying up, and I think they will rise to the occasions here, although they might have to score two or three to be sure of the three points.

Anytime Goalscorer - Julio Enciso (IPS) @ 11/4

Stiff competition for places in the Brighton forward line this season has cost Enciso the chance to play many minutes under new boss Fabian Hurzeler, but the 21-year-old remains a prodigious talent and the hope will be that more regular game time at Ipswich can spark him back into life ahead of next season.

Enciso struck four goals in 20 Premier League appearances in 2022/23 including wonder strikes against Chelsea and Manchester City, but he was struck down by injury and played just 12 times the following campaign, failing to hit the back of the net.

The Paraguayan playmaker scored at last summer's Copa America, though, and also notched at the 2024 Olympic Games, showcasing his abilities at the highest level.

I think there's a chance he starts on Saturday and if he does, I'm backing him to make an instant impact at Portman Road.

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