Sutton's predictions: Fulham v Ipswichpublished at 12:16 5 January
12:16 5 January
Chris Sutton is making predictions for all 380 Premier League games this season, against a variety of guests.
For week 20, he takes on The Zutons frontman Dave McCabe, who supports Liverpool.
Sutton's prediction: 1-0
Well done to Ipswich. I have got to give one of my daughter's teachers, Mr Fields, another mention here after the Tractor Boys beat Chelsea on Monday for their first home win of the season.
He will have had the bunting out, and the champagne too - and deservedly so.
As I've said before, I like this Ipswich team. They have got a lot about them and they are giving it a real go to try to stay in the Premier League.
You cannot overestimate the importance of them getting off the mark at Portman Road, but I don't see them following it up with another success on Sunday.
Fulham let me down badly by letting their lead slip late on at home to Bournemouth on Sunday, but they are usually pretty reliable at Craven Cottage.
Antonee Robinson and Alex Iwobi form such a wonderful combination down the left for Marco Silva's side, and I think they will help them secure a narrow home win.
McCabe's prediction: 2-0
Fulham are a pain in the backside. You feel like you should beat them, but they never seem to go away in games.
Who is most likely to be relegated?published at 17:54 3 January
17:54 3 January
As we enter a new calendar year and the halfway point of the season, the Opta Supercomputer has been busy making its predictions.
But who is looking most likely to be playing their football outside the top flight next season?
It is bad news for fans of the teams who made their return to the Premier League this campaign.
According to the Opta Supercomputer's simulations, Southampton - rooted to the bottom of the table on just six points - are all but guaranteed to be playing Championship football again next term with a 99.47% chance of being relegated.
The picture is also not a rosy one for Leicester City and Ipswich Town supporters, who occupy the other two relegation spots. The Supercomputer does not see too much change there - the Foxes and the Tractor Boys having a 74.61% and 70.81% chance of relegation respectively.
It is better news for Wolves under new head coach Vitor Pereira, with Wanderers now having only a 39.21% chance of a Championship return, while Everton fans will be pleased to see they have just a 12.52% chance as they hope to see Premier League football in their new stadium next season.
Crystal Palace, West Ham and Brentford can all breathe easier with Opta predicting just a 1.68%, 0.81% and 0.72% chance of relegation respectively.
And what about Manchester United after new boss Ruben Amorim declared them to be facing a relegation battle? Well, it is good news for Red Devils fans as the chance of them actually playing Championship football next campaign is just 0.11%.
'We are going to try to do our business early' - McKennapublished at 16:46 3 January
16:46 3 January
Image source, Getty Images
Ipswich Town boss Kieran McKenna says it would be a "big advantage" if they can get their transfer business done early this window.
His comments come amid reports the Tractor Boys are looking at moves for both Aston Villa winger Jaden Philogene and Atalanta defender Ben Godfrey.
Philogene was a summer target for the club before he instead moved back to former side Villa from Hull City, while former Norwich City centre-back Godfrey could be set for a loan return to East Anglia after moving to Serie A from Everton in the summer.
"Discussions started a long time ago, but getting players in at the start of January is another matter," McKenna said on Friday.
"Each club has their own needs. Things can change really, really quickly at the end of December. Games come thick and fast - players come into the team, come out of the team. Players who you thought might be available are unavailable. Players who you thought were unavailable might become available.
"We are going to try to do our business early in the window if possible.
"We know that would be a big advantage, but we also know we need to be ready right through the month to improve the squad when the opportunities come.
"Certainly by the end of January we need to make sure that the squad is of the appropriate size and we want everyone who is still in the building to have a chance of playing and contributing in the Premier League games."
McKenna on Philogene interest, Delap and Ipswich resiliencepublished at 16:20 3 January
16:20 3 January
Ipswich Town boss Kieran McKenna has been speaking to the media before Sunday's Premier League game against Fulham (kick-off 14:00 GMT).
Here are the key lines from his news conference:
McKenna confirmed Conor Chaplin has picked up a "knock" to his knee and will be out for "a couple of weeks".
He also confirmed they have other players that will need to be assessed as they are "touch and go" and the side need "everyone to be in the best condition possible" for an "intense" game.
On if there is a possibility of bringing Jaden Philogene to the club this transfer window: "My focus is on the players that we have here. We're still working really hard with the players that we have, the players that we've had for a long time and the players that joined us in the summer. That's where my focus is."
He added: "Of course we're trying to add to the squad in this window, as every team is. We want to make the squad better, not just for the second half of the season but for the long term, so we're going to look to do that in the best way possible."
On if they need to bring in a striker to support Liam Delap: "It's an area [up front] we need to add to. It's an area we wanted to add to in the summer window. Earlier in the summer, we made some good additions but we still would have liked to have added maybe one or two more pieces in forward areas."
McKenna continued: "Of course, over the first 19 games, George Hirst missed maybe 11 or 12 of them. That's a big loss and it's put a big burden on Liam Delap as a really young striker. Thankfully he's handled that burden well but we still want to add in different areas of the pitch and we want to add more goals in the forward area if possible."
Asked if 2024 was his best year in football, the Ipswich boss said he has had "a few good ones lately": "Every year is a privilege to be involved in football at any level."
On if he has seen his team's resilience grow this season: "I've seen it pretty consistently to be honest. Every time we have had a setback over the past three years, I have generally been happy with the response. We knew the setbacks were going to be a little more frequent this year or a little bit different. But generally we have shown that [resilience]."
Ipswich forward Liam Delap has seven Premier League goals this season, which is the most by a player for any of the three promoted clubs this campaign.
Ipswich reignite Philogene interest after failed summer pursuit published at 15:47 2 January
15:47 2 January
Nick Mashiter BBC Sport football news reporter
Image source, Getty Images
Ipswich have shown an interest in taking Aston Villa winger Jaden Philogene to Portman Road this month.
The 22-year-old was close to moving to the Tractor Boys in the summer, only to re-join Villa just a year after being sold to Hull City.
Ipswich agreed an £18m deal with the Tigers in July but Villa inserted a clause into their negotiations with Hull when they sold Philogene in 2023, meaning they would have three days to match any bid once a deal had been agreed.
The England Under-21 international opted to return to Villa Park but has made just four starts, two in the Premier League, this season.
Ipswich are looking at wide options after Chiedozie Ogbene's season-ending Achilles injury in October.
Meanwhile, the Tractor Boys have no desire to sell Liam Delap, who joined from Manchester City in a deal worth £20m in the summer, this January.
The striker has seven goals in 17 league starts, including a penalty in the 2-0 win over Chelsea on Monday, and is key to their survival hopes with Kieran McKenna's side a point from safety.
'Do not write them off'published at 12:00 2 January
12:00 2 January
Graeme McLoughlin BBC Radio Suffolk sports editor
Image source, Getty Images
Ipswich Town ended 2024 on a massively deserved high, and if they are still in the Premier League this time next year, then 2025 will have been a huge success.
Things have been far from easy for Kieran McKenna and his players since they secured successive promotions in May, and staying up would be by far and away the manager's greatest achievement in football to date.
In spite of Town's lowly position in the table at present, get ready for yet more speculation regarding the Northern Irishman's future in the coming months. He remains a class act and elite coach, so should he still be in charge at Portman Road come next Christmas, it is likely there will be a high level of optimism among supporters, regardless of what division the team is playing in.
How do Town beat the drop then?
Well, a fully fit squad (or something close to it) would help. A lack of that since the campaign got underway has meant McKenna's struggled to play his best XI on a regular basis. In fact, many would agree he is probably yet to discover it.
That said, a contingent of players who have been with the boss since their days in League One possibly have not helped matters. Six of them started the impressive 2-0 win over Chelsea, and the likes of Cameron Burgess and Conor Chaplin have arguably outperformed some of their newer team-mates who cost big money in the summer. Surely that makes team selection that little bit more difficult?
In spite of that, you cannot doubt McKenna being the right man to keep squad harmony intact and, if Town edge a few more of the many tight fixtures they have been involved in so far, then do not write them off.
Listen to The Blue Hour with Brenner Woolley every Monday and Matchday Preview with Graeme McLoughlin every Friday, along with live coverage of every Ipswich Town game, home and away, on BBC Radio Suffolk.
'Another forward to take the load off Delap' and 'keep the faith'published at 12:48 1 January
12:48 1 January
Image source, Getty Images
We asked what Ipswich's New Year resolutions should be.
Here are some of your replies:
Tiny: Don't get relegated and win some home games.
Peter: Just to stay in the Premier League would be enough.
Paul: To get another forward to take the load off Delap. With Hirst injured and Al-Hamadi inexperienced, we're crying out for reinforcement.
James W: Firstly I would implore McKenna to start Christian Walton in goal, Muric has not been an upgrade at all. Secondly I would keep playing Kalvin Phillips who is clearly a confidence player and McKenna has previous for getting a tune out of players. Finally please keep Liam Delap!
James R: We need Muric to think before he acts. He's a good keeper with good attributes, but his mental game is poor. If he can sort that out then we will see a much better second half of the season.
Matt: When we are 1-0 down, don't sit back to avoid further damage, please try to push for an equaliser!
Danny: While we haven't picked up (or held onto) enough points this season, overall we've been competitive in the majority of games in a league where we're already punching well above our weight. My New Year resolution? Keep the faith and trust in Kieran and our boys!
Ipswich 2-0 Chelsea - the fans' verdictpublished at 12:03 31 December 2024
12:03 31 December 2024
Image source, Getty Images
We asked for your thoughts after Monday's Premier League game between Ipswich and Chelsea.
Here are some of your comments:
Ipswich fans:
Chris: So pleased for Town. Would've killed to be inside Portman Road tonight. Funny how replacing Muric went hand in hand with a first home win. Come on Kieran, keep Walton as first choice for the remainder of the season!
Matt: My faith totally restored in Kieran the moment I saw that he had picked Walton at last. How many results would have been different this season if Walton had played? Fantastic performance from Town. This must give the lads the confidence that they can beat anyone on their day (apart from Liverpool maybe!). I think we can survive.
Chris: Hard-working, gritty and determined victory for the Tractor Boys. Delap was outstanding, and him and Hutchinson ran their socks off all night. Morsy immense in midfield and the defence really solid against a star-studded Chelsea attack. Kieran fully justified in bringing back Walton. The boys have to back this one up now and go to Fulham and get something. What a way to welcome in the New Year!
James: Ipswich produced an excellent team performance from back to front, and we were well worth the 2-0 victory. Kieran McKenna got the tactics spot on tonight, defending resiliently and blocking everything that came into the box before attacking with pace and power on the break. Christian Walton came in and was exemplary, with Liam Delap unplayable up top. By the end, Chelsea were chasing their tails and resorted to throwing themselves to the ground at every opportunity in a desperate attempt to salvage something from the game. All in all, a near-perfect night's work.
Chelsea fans:
Colin: Same again, poor passing, poor defending, poor attitude. They don't seem to play together. Try and pass to your own team-mates. Why try to walk the ball in? Attack quicker and create something. A dismal display again. It's hard to watch, they must do better.
David: Well enough of the title talk. Fernandez awful, Caicedo awful, defence slow and awful, Ipswich brilliant, Delap outstanding. Chelsea players need to look at themselves with their play acting. Maresca needs to look at his team management within the game and do something different when things don't go as planned. I think he dipped like this at Leicester about this time last year. This team needs confidence and at the moment they are devoid of any. Making the changes against Fulham was the catalyst for this.
Gary: Disappointing performances across the last three games. One point from nine over the holiday period is not good enough especially against two poor sides in Everton and Ipswich. However, the target is top four this season (68 points) so we're on schedule for that after 19 games. Let's hope the boss can reignite the fire again for the second round of games.
Chris: Looks like the bubble has burst, again. Maresca now has a major job, he needs to pick his best team and stick with it and stop chopping and changing! There is no Chelsea team that should ever include Disasi!
'Ipswich will do very well to hold on to Delap'published at 10:40 31 December 2024
10:40 31 December 2024
Image source, Getty Images
Former Premier League goalkeeper Paul Robinson says Ipswich Town striker Liam Delap has shown he is a "quality player" this season, after scoring a penalty and contributing an assist in their 2-0 win over Chelsea.
"He has been linked with some very big clubs, hasn't he?" Robinson said on BBC Radio 5 Live's Football Daily podcast. "There are some big clubs, as we know, that will be looking to make some big moves in the January window.
"Ipswich will do very well to hold on to him. If they don't survive in the Premier League, you can't see his future being there.
"He is a quality player. He led the line on his own against Chelsea. At times, Chelsea were playing a back five with four players in front, and they defended resolutely, but he was always an outlet.
"He is a pest. He is a nuisance. He is always there on the shoulders of the centre-backs. He is making runs in the channels. He is always available.
"When it looks like he isn't going to win the ball, he puts his body in between the player and the ball, somehow managing to win a free-kick or something for his team.
Ipswich 2-0 Chelsea: Did you know?published at 09:21 31 December 2024
09:21 31 December 2024
Image source, Getty Images
Liam Delap both scored and assisted in a Premier League game for the second time this season, becoming the second Ipswich Town player to do so more than once in a single season after Finidi George in 2001-02 (also twice).
Delap's goal was Ipswich Town's first penalty goal in the Premier League in over 23 years, with Marcus Stewart's strike in November 2001 also coming against Chelsea.
Gossip: Delap draws Chelsea interestpublished at 08:48 31 December 2024
08:48 31 December 2024
Chelsea are eying 21-year-old Ipswich Town striker Liam Delap, as they look to provide competition for first-choice striker Nicolas Jackson. (Talksport), external
'Another special little landmark'published at 23:10 30 December 2024
23:10 30 December 2024
Image source, Getty Images
Ipswich boss Kieran McKenna speaking to Sky Sports:
"Special night for the club, for the players and fans. First home win in the Premier League at Portman Road for 22 years and to do it against Chelsea was fantastic.
"Most of the supporters who have been here for 22 years, every moment here is a landmark for them. Winning the home game is another special little landmark. But I think the time of year, the night game, the opponent make this a special night and I want everyone to enjoy it a lot. But on the inside we get ready for the next one. We'll be back into work on Wednesday and getting ready for Sunday.
"It was everything we needed to be. Started well, pressed well on the front foot had some nice moments on the ball. Cashed in on the good start with the goal and after that we defended well, top intensity and organisation. Dealt with the pressure well and you have to make good saves and have moments go your way and keep the threat going the other way and we had that throughout. We had some really good breakaways, shots consistently through the game. At 2-0 we managed the game really well.
"We've had a few VARs against us so when their goal was disallowed for offside it was a deep breath in the crowd. That was a good feeling but we've had a lot of 1-0's here so to get the second goal was nice.
"It won't change much inside. The group are working well and believe what we do day to day. Halfway through the season and we've been competitive in the large majority of our games. It's only some small improvements we need to make to win more games. We're a humble group with belief and we'll be back at it.
"Incredible year. Everyone involved with Ipswich can probably enjoy a glass of sparkly stuff tomorrow night and think about some of the games we've had and moments over the last couple of years. I don't want to point backwards too much but I think six of the starting line-up today were in our League One team so it's the journey this group has been on.
"When you have moments like this you have a little pause and enjoy it but then move on to the next one."
'It is good to write history'published at 22:22 30 December 2024
22:22 30 December 2024
Image source, Getty Images
Ipswich striker Liam Delap speaking to Sky Sports: "We've worked so hard this season and it's not gone right. The performances have deserved a win and today we showed we are excellent and we defended well, attacked them well. We're buzzing."
On penalty: "I don't know what clipped me but something did. I just tried to get there before him [Filip Jorgensen] and he was coming out fast so I knew he'd touch me if I didn't get it round him.
"We've had three or four opportunities where we've not had the penalty we probably deserved so it's nice to get that one and put it in the back of the net. I've practiced them a million times so just aimed for the corner and put it there.
"I don't think it changes much. We've performed as well as that in other games this season but not got the result. Not finished our chances or conceded late. We just need to push on now and get more victories."
Ipswich forward Omari Hutchinson speaking to Sky Sports: "It's good to write history and finally get the first win at home.
"Grateful for what Chelsea did in my career, gave me my debut, but I'm playing for Ipswich now and I want to score and help my team get three points and help us stay up."
On backflip celebration: "Everyone's been asking me to do it so I thought I would do it for the first home win."
On Delap: "He's a unit he is. Complete package but he's still finding himself and still learning and trying to become a top player so he's a good striker to play with.
Ipswich 2-0 Chelsea - send us your thoughtspublished at 21:44 30 December 2024
Sutton's predictions: Ipswich v Chelseapublished at 11:31 30 December 2024
11:31 30 December 2024
Chris Sutton is making predictions for all 380 Premier League games this season, against a variety of guests.
This week, he takes on musician Emma-Jean Thackray, who is a Leeds fan.
Sutton's prediction: 0-2
Chelsea have had a couple of disappointing results over Christmas, firstly failing to score against Everton and then losing late on against Fulham.
Maybe Blues boss Enzo Maresca was right when he said his side were not title contenders. I still think that was more kidology than him ruling his side out of the race but, either way, it must be painful to drop points like that after winning their previous eight games in all competitions.
I am backing them to bounce back here, though, because they should have too much quality for Ipswich.
Fair play to the Tractor Boys, as much as I love giving them a kicking at times, they ran Arsenal close on Friday.
That was typical of Kieran McKenna's side this season. They have given it a real go in the Premier League and they never seem to lie down, whoever they play.
While I am going for a Chelsea win, the one thing at the back of my mind here is that Ipswich's determination and will to hang on in there in games has already brought them some reward in away games.
Eventually it is going to bring them a first home win of the campaign too.
Emma-Jean's prediction: 0-3
Ipswich have done so well to get where they are and I like the way they try to play football, but I only see one winner here.
