Ipswich Town will host Aston Villa at Portman Road this Sunday in what promises to be an interesting matchup between two teams with contrasting ambitions this season.
- Date: 29/09/2024
- Kick-off time: 14:00
- Location: Portman Road, Ipswich
After securing promotion back to the Premier League, Ipswich were almost immediately pencilled in as favourites for relegation and with just three points to their name thus far, the Tractor Boys are currently perched precariously above the relegation zone. However, their performances have not been without merit as Ipswich have displayed admirable resolve, managing to salvage points from games where they looked destined for defeat.
Their journey back to the Premier League has been fraught with difficult fixtures, and it is perhaps no surprise that they remain winless. Despite this, there have been signs of promise, and Ipswich might feel as though they should be better off than they are points-wise with expected goals (xG) average of 1.51 per game, which suggests that they are creating a fair number of scoring opportunities. Their challenge now lies in converting these chances into goals, as their inability to be clinical in front of goal has been a significant hindrance in their quest to secure points.
The transition from the Championship to the Premier League is notoriously tough, and Ipswich’s early schedule has been particularly unforgiving. Yet, Kieran McKenna’s side have shown resilience, and this fighting spirit will be crucial as they attempt to navigate the difficulties of a gruelling campaign. If Ipswich are to avoid an immediate return to the second tier, they will need to build on this determination and start picking up wins, particularly in matches in front of their own fans.
As Ipswich prepare to face Aston Villa, the scale of the task ahead becomes apparent. Villa, who secured an unexpected and excellent 4th place finish last season, have continued their strong form, collecting 12 points from their first five games. Under the astute management of Unai Emery, Villa have established themselves as one of the best sides in the league and fancy that they can secure a second successive top four finish.
Aston Villa’s attacking options are among the best in the division, with Ollie Watkins and Jhon Durán both in excellent form. Watkins, a player known for his relentless work rate and sharp finishing, has already found the net three times this season, while Durán, a rising star, has scored four goals, making him one of the top scorers in the league so far. Adding to this potent attacking threat is Morgan Rogers, a player who is beginning to fulfil his potential as a top-flight footballer. Rogers’ development has been one of the standout aspects of Villa’s last ten months, and his performances have added an extra dimension to their attacking play.
Rightly so, Ipswich are firm underdogs for this game, but they've shown plenty enough so far this season to suggest they're capable of taking points off even the better sides in the division. Their performance away at Brighton was evidence of their sturdy resolve, with the nascent centre-back partnership of summer arrivals Jacob Greaves and Dara O'Shea showing bags of promise early doors.
Aston Villa will be disappointed with anything but three points from this game, but there will likely be an acknowledgement that an away game against a competent newly promoted side can turn out to be a bit of a grueller.
Ipswich are extremely flexible tactically, and unlike many sides in this division they won't simply play right into the hands of the league's better teams and will do what they can to stifle and frustrate the wealthier, more established teams so expect a bit of that from McKenna's men this Saturday. That should, then, lead to a very competitive encounter, even we do fancy Villa to make good on their favourites tag.
Premier League 
