Chelsea are on course to finish the year as they travel to Ipswich Town in the Premier League on Monday night.
Blues fans were forced to endure the unfamiliar feeling of defeat on Boxing Day as Fulham secured their first win at Stamford Bridge since 1979 thanks to Rodrigo Muniz’s last minute winner.
Chelsea’s performance and the result that followed provided an explanation as to why Enzo Maresca wanted to play down his team’s title hopes. While this was their first league defeat since October, the west Londoners now sit ten points behind leaders Liverpool.
At the other end of the table, Ipswich face an uphill battle to stay in the division. Kieran McKenna’s side are likely to finish 2024 in 19th place having won just two league games since their return to the top flight so far.
The Tractor Boys barely put a glove on Arsenal fell to a 1-0 defeat at the Emirates on Friday night. This will be their first meeting with Chelsea since 2011.
Here it is 90 minutes guide to Ipswich vs Chelsea in the Premier League.
Ipswich vs Chelsea H2H Record (Last Five Matches)
Current form (all competitions)
|
Ipswich |
Chelsea |
|---|---|
|
Arsenal 1-0 Ipswich – 27/12/24 |
Chelsea 1-2 Fulham – 26/12/24 |
|
Ipswich 0-4 Newcastle – 21/12/24 |
Everton 0-0 Chelsea – 22/12/24 |
|
Wolves 1-2 Ipswich – 14/12/24 |
Chelsea 5-1 Shamrock Rovers – 19/12/24 |
|
Ipswich 1-2 Bournemouth – 24/08/12 |
Chelsea 2-1 Brentford – 15/12/24 |
|
Ipswich 0-1 Crystal Palace – 24/12/03 |
Astana 1-3 Chelsea – 12/12/24 |
|
Country |
TV channel/live stream |
|---|---|
|
United Kingdom |
Not televised (BBC 5 Live – radio) |
|
United States |
Peacock |
|
Canada |
fuboTV Canada, Fubo Sports Network 3 Canada |
McKenna can welcome captain Sam Morsy back from suspension and will likely return to the Ipswich midfield on Monday night, replacing Calvin Phillips in the starting line-up.
The hosts are expected to be without Massimo Luongo again due to illness, while Axel Tuanzebe and Kyendozi Ogbene have been ruled out. Ogbene will not play again this season due to a long-term knee injury.
George Hirst will be hoping to return from a knee problem in the new year, while Cieran Slicker is a doubt with a muscle problem.
Ipswich predicted line-up against Chelsea (4-2-3-1): Muric? Clarke, O’Shea, Greaves, Davis? Morsy, Cajuste; Burns, Hutchinson, Szmodics; Delap
Maresca has the starting line-up for Monday night, but some have questioned whether the Italian trusts Chelsea’s fringe players. He made just one change in the Blues’ defeat on Boxing Day.
Christopher Nkunku could replace Nicolas Jackson up top given the latter’s dip in form, while Joao Felix will be hoping for a bigger role on Monday, having struggled to feature as he impressed in Southampton beginning of this month.
Chelsea are without Mykhailo Mudryk following his positive drug testwhile Benoit Badiashile, Wesley Fofana, Romeo Lavia and Carney Chukwuemeka are on the sidelines. Rhys James is back in training and closing in on yet another comeback.
Chelsea predicted line-up against Ipswich (4-2-3-1): Sánchez? Gusto, Tosin, Colwill, Cucurella; Caicedo, Fernandez; Madueke, Palmer, Felix; Nkunku.
A naive and immature one Chelsea that unfolded on Boxing Day, with their struggles against tight-knit defenses coming to the fore last week. Given the way Ipswich set up at the Emirates on Friday, the Blues are likely to face another deep backline on Monday.
While this seemed a clever ploy from McKenna, it represents a departure from the ideals that got the Suffolk side to this position. Their pressing has allowed them to be competitive in the top flight this term, so the Ipswich boss must not change his ways completely.
The Tractor Boys have acquitted themselves well this term, but the Premier League The program is beginning to strain a thin team. It will take a huge effort for Ipswich to go again and take points from the Blues.
Prediction: Ipswich 1-2 Chelsea
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2024-12-30 00:05:00
