4-2-3-1 Manchester City Predicted Lineup vs Ipswich Town
Defence
Stefan Ortega could’ve done better to save the equalizer in the previous game. However, he continues to operate between the sticks. Matheus Nunes was played as the right-back over Rico Lewis but that shouldn’t be the case this time.
The duo of Nathan Ake and Manuel Akanji remain intact at the heart of the defence with Josko Gvardiol playing as the left-back.
Manchester City’s German goalkeeper #18 Stefan Ortega applauds fans on the pitch after the English FA Cup third round football match between Manchester City and Huddersfield Town at the Etihad Stadium in Manchester, north west England, on January 7, 2024. Manchester City won the game 5-0. (Photo by Paul
Midfield
While Mateo Kovacic continues in the middle of the park, Bernardo Silva might be sacrificed to make way for Ilkay Gundogan this weekend.
Attack
Pep Guardiola will surely look to manage Savinho to keep him fresh, which will allow Jeremy Doku to play on the left wing. Phil Foden is operating on the other side of the pitch with Kevin De Bruyne being the attacking midfielder.
Erling Haaland leads the attacking pack as usual and his long-term contract at Etihad Stadium is another good news for the City fans.
Rodri (ACL), Oscar Bobb (leg) and Ruben Dias (calf) are confirmed absentees while John Stones (foot) is marching towards a return. Kyle Walker will not be involved as his search for a new club carries on off the field.
4-2-3-1 Manchester City Predicted Lineup vs Ipswich Town
***STREAM THE GAME LIVE, FUBO TV (USA) shows every Manchester City game on USA NETWORK/NBC with a high-quality and legal stream. New to Fubo TV? Click here
***PEACOCK PREMIUM. U.S.A, WATCH ALL PL GAMES CLICK HERE
Preview + Form
A tricky match up, and seeing the form of these clubs, one would back some sort of resurgence by City here. However, this could be a great get back right win for City, who need more results in the worst of ways.
For the opponent, this is a real tricky spot as they have a motivated side in front of them and are a decent in form team in themselves.
The key battle will be the forwards chosen vs a their defense. An interesting match up is in tow. Who will play?
Which team will come out in front? We are in store for a fun match.
Previous Meeting
Our last trip to Portman Road came in January 2002 in the FA Cup fourth round, where we secured an emphatic 4-1 victory after a brace from Shaun Goater, added to by goals from Eyal Berkovic and Darren Huckerby for Kevin Keegan’s side.
We also met the Tractor Boys in the league earlier this season at the Etihad and sealed another 4-1 victory, with Erling Haaland netting a treble and Kevin De Bruyne also getting on the scoresheet.
Team News
City’s side have an unavailable/questionable list of Rodri, John Stones, Ruben Dias, & Oscar Bobb who are out or doubtful.
The Bee’s have Tuanzebe, Ogbene, Chaplin and Szmodics out/doubtful.
Town are being linked with a loan move for Brighton & Hove Albion’s Paraguayan international forward Julio Enciso.
The 20-year-old was on the bench at Portman Road last night without making it onto the field.
According to Nacion Media, the Blues and Leicester are possible destinations for the attacker, who joined Brighton from Club Libertad in his home country for £9 million in 2022.
We understand Enciso is someone Town are aware of and have monitored for a couple of transfer windows, but is not currently the subject of an enquiry.
As it stands, the Foxes can’t sign another Albion player on loan as they already have Facundo Buonanotte on that basis with Premier League clubs limited to one player from another top flight side at a time.
Speaking about speculation that Enciso might be sent on loan in his press conference ahead of the Town game, manager Fabian Hurzeler said: “There are arguments for and against. But the most important is that he knows our arguments, that we know his arguments, that he’s giving everything for the club, because in the end, he always says that he really likes to play for Brighton and that’s why I think he already showed it this season so far.
“When he was on the pitch, then he had good performances, he proved it last Saturday against Norwich [in which he scored]. So in the end, we are really happy to have him here in the squad.
“We always have to negotiate what is the best for the individual development from the player. What is helpful at the moment? Is it like playing every game or is it training with the highest quality and not playing every game?
“So that’s always a thing where we have to exchange with the player, where we have to negotiate what is the most helpful for the club, what is the most helpful for the player and then I’m sure that we will make the right decision.”
Enciso, who has been capped 23 times by Paraguay, scoring twice, is contracted until the summer of 2026 with Brighton not looking to sell him.
Town and the Seagulls have did January loan business last year, Jeremy Sarmiento coming in and playing a big part in the Blues’ promotion to the Premier League.
Despite having signed Jaden Philogene from Aston Villa, the Blues are still in the market for another forward – having had a £16 million bid to Liverpool for Ben Doak, who is currently loan at Middlesbrough, turned down a fortnight ago – as well as a new number nine.
The date and time has been set for Ipswich Town’s FA Cup Fourth Round clash with Championship side Coventry City.
Town eased through to the fourth round with a comfortable 3-0 win over Bristol Rovers last weekend, while Coventry beat Sheffield Wednesday on penalties.
Ipswich Town have signed Ben Godfrey (left) and Jaden Philogene in the January transfer window so far.
Ipswich Town have signed Ben Godfrey (left) and Jaden Philogene in the January transfer window so far.
Ipswich Town manager Kieran McKenna says there is no guarantee that he will make further additions to his squad this month.
The Blues have signed defender Ben Godfrey (on loan, Atalanta) and winger Jaden Philogene (£20m, Aston Villa) so far this window, with it understood that the Blues would still like to sign another wide man and striker.
Following last night’s 2-0 home defeat to Brighton, McKenna was asked if the club would stay active in the market leading up to the February 3 deadline.
“We’ll try to be,” he replied. “If we can find quality that can improve us.
“I think our depth is pretty good now. If we can get everybody back fit, our depth is fine, but if we can add quality that can help the starting XI, or quality that can help from the bench, then we certainly aim to try and do so.
“We’ll try and do that, but only if the right players are available that can really push us on.”
Ipswich Town new boy Jaden Philogene could come straight into the Tractor Boys’ starting lineup when they host Manchester City in Sunday’s Premier League contest at Stamford Bridge.
The 22-year-old completed his permanent move to Portman Road from Aston Villa in midweek but did not arrive in time to make his debut in Thursday’s 2-0 loss to Brighton & Hove Albion.
However, Kieran McKenna should now have no qualms about throwing Philogene in from the first whistle on Sunday, where he may also be tempted to sacrifice an attacker for an extra defender.
Ipswich lined up with a back five against Arsenal last month, frustrating the Gunners despite suffering a 1-0 defeat, and such a tweak on Sunday could also see Ben Godfrey make his first Premier League appearance for the hosts.
Kalvin Phillips cannot face his parent club, so Sam Morsy should fill the void in midfield alongside Jens Cajuste, while Omari Hutchinson is the most obvious candidate to join Philogene up top after returning from a groin issue.
The pair will operate in support of chief attacking threat Liam Delap, who spent five years at Man City from 2019 to 2024 but only made six appearances for the senior team.
Ipswich Town possible starting lineup: Walton; Woolfenden, Godfrey, Greaves; O’Shea, Cajuste, Morsy, Davis; Hutchinson, Delap, Philogene
Joao Pedro should have been sent off for Brighton during their win over Ipswich following a challenge on opposition goalkeeper Christian Walton, Keith Hackett has said.
The former PGMOL chief and ex-FIFA official exclusively told Football Insider that the attacker knew exactly what he was doing when he collided with Walton in Thursday night’s (16 January) game.
Fabien Hurzeler’s side ended an eight-game winless run in the Premier League with a 2-0 win over the Tractor Boys at Portman Road.
The first of those goals through Karou Mitoma 59 minutes in, but Hackett believes Brighton should have been given a man disadvantage moments before that, following Pedro’s challenge.
With 54 minutes on the clock, Pedro had been chasing a loose ball into the Ipswich penalty area, only to see Walton get there well before him, and clear it away.
Despite that, the Brighton attacker kept on running at speed, and leading with his shoulder, collided with Walton – who was playing against his former club – to leave the goalkeeper on the ground seemingly in need of treatment.
Christian Walton suffered a heavy blow against his old side
MORE FOOTBALL INSIDER STORIES
Referee Tony Harrington then elected to show Pedro a yellow card for the challenge, with VAR confirming that decision rather than suggesting a review.
Hackett though believes that the attacker should have been dismissed for the offence, and that the officials will be spoken to about their decision not to award one.
When asked by Football Insider if the Brighton man should have been sent off for his challenge on Walton, the former referee said:
“This is a nailed on red card for Serious Foul Play. He knows exactly what he is doing. This is a challenge with excessive force that endangers the safety of the goalkeeper.
“Referees should not await the outcome to see if the goalkeeper has s injured or not. Totally unacceptable and I would suggest that the Referee and VAR require some operational advice.
“Here is the law: Serious foul play:
“A tackle or challenge that endangers the safety of an opponent or uses excessive force or brutality must be sanctioned as serious foul play.
“Any player who lunges at an opponent in challenging for the ball from the front, from the side or from behind using one or both legs, with excessive force or endangers the safety of an opponent is guilty of serious foul play.”
Following that win, Brighton are now ninth in the Premier League, four points adrift of a European place as things stand.
For their part, Ipswich are now 18th in the Premier League, having dropped into the relegation zone by virtue of goals scored following that defeat to the Seagulls.
For more Brighton and exclusive news, follow us on Facebook or join our brand new WhatsApp Channel for instant updates to be sent straight to your phone.
Wolverhampton Wanderers and Ipswich Town have both been linked with the Nigeria international, who has 56 caps for his country.
According to Football Insider, Leeds have now registered their interest in securing Iheanacho’s services.
He would arguably be a major coup for the Whites, especially considering he has spent the bulk of his career in the Premier League.
The report claims he could be available for a loan move late in the January window, although his signature may prove hard to secure if there is interest from the top flight.
Advertisement
If Leeds were to make a move, they would be negotiating with a familiar face. Victor Orta, the club’s former director of football, is Sevilla’s sporting director.
Joel Piroe has been Daniel Farke’s lone forward of choice this season, with Mateo Joseph second in the pecking order.
Piroe has a reputation as a clinical finisher, although his work away from the box has come under scrutiny this term.
The opposite can be said for Joseph, who is often lauded for his movement and pressing but has faced criticism for his lack of composure in front of goal.
National World encourages reader discussion on our stories. User feedback, insights and back-and-forth exchanges add a rich layer of context to reporting. Please review our Community Guidelines before commenting.
Our community members are treated to special offers, promotions and adverts from us and our partners. You can check out at any time. More info
Michael Carrick has explained why he wants to make George Edmundson a permanent Middlesbrough signing this month – with the defender’s loan form and overall career experience the biggest factors.
Boro have decided to try and make Edmundson’s loan move to Boro a permanent one this month, though parent club Ipswich Town rejected the first bid believed to be £350k, with a further £350k on top if Boro win promotion. Talks are continuing between the two clubs to try and come to an agreement.
Boro’s move comes despite Edmundson’s loan deal keeping him at Boro until the summer, at which point his Ipswich contract expires and he will be available on a free transfer. Wanting to remove any uncertainty or potential competition though, as well as free up a potential loan spot in the squad, Carrick and Jonathan Woodgate have pushed for Boro to make Edmundson’s move a permanent one, with both delighted with what he’s added to the side – both on and off the pitch.
Carrick explained: “George has done really well. We brought him in on loan. It was one of those where it fitted all parties. I’ve said it a number of times, it’s not always simple, there’s a lot of parties involved. Sometimes you go in and you know exactly what you’re getting out, sometimes it’s a little bit in the balance.
“George has done fantastically well for us. He’s settled in really well. We’re really happy with him. I think it’s getting the balance right as well, in terms of recruitment and the dynamics of the squad. That’s really important.
Ipswich Town manager Kieran McKenna pictured after his side’s 2-0 home defeat to Brighton. (Image: Steve Waller)
Ipswich Town manager Kieran McKenna felt his team were the better side for an hour of tonight’s 2-0 home defeat to Brighton & Hove Albion.
A fiercely competitive game of few clear cut chances got away from the Blues after Kaoru Mitoma’s shot squirmed past Christian Walton in the 59th minute.
Substitute Georginio Rutter bagged a killer second in the 82nd minute meaning that Town have slipped below Wolves, and back into the Premier League relegation, on goals scored.
Town are back in the drop zone after defeat (Image: Steve Waller)
Asked if he felt there was nothing between the sides up until the deadlock was broken, McKenna replied: “Exactly that. I thought it was, at best, evens. I thought we were the more threatening team. They had more possession, certainly in the early parts of the game, but not really in threatening areas. I thought we had more threat and got to better areas.
‘
“We finished the first half strongly, I thought we started the second half even better and were the better team up until the point of their goal.
“That was the first real threat that we had on our goal. We didn’t defend the situation as well as we would have liked and should have stopped the goal. That changed the game really.
“From our point of view it changed it disproportionately to what we’d want. I think we could have found a better reaction than what we did. It looked like our confidence dropped and theirs certainly went up. They’ve got very good substitutes that they brought on fresh and were the better team in the last 30 minutes.”
In the 53rd minute of the game, with the score goalless, Brighton striker Joao Pedro jumped into Town keeper Walton with the ball long gone. It was a heavy collision, with many feeling the Brazilian could have seen red rather than yellow.
“I’ve not watched it back,” said McKenna. “Look, I think he’s left a little bit on the goalkeeper. I think he knows what he’s doing. It is what it is. It’s football, it happens. The referee dealt with it and gave a yellow card. It’s not something we’re going to cry about too much.
“Maybe it’s worse than what I first thought. Was it a red card? I wasn’t screaming for one at the time.”
With Wolves, Leicester and Everton all losing last night, did McKenna feel this was a missed opportunity for his side?
“Not given the results last night, but more so due to the fact that we were in the game for so long,” he replied.
“I think if Wes (Burns) scores with the shot that goes just past the post then you think ‘yeah, we probably have just about earned that’ in terms of the way we grew into the game.
“We’ve competed on an even keel with a really good side. If I’m honest, the game was much more even than when we played them earlier in the season (and drew 0-0). When you’re in that position you want to push on in the game and get points from it.
“The way they took the game away late on probably changes the feel from what was a really competitive game we were in a really good position in.”
:format(webp)/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/73853808/649970352.0.jpg)
