- Team form: Ipswich are unbeaten in two games at home (W1, D1).
- Away form: Boro have drawn each of their last two away games (including 2-2 at Swansea).
- Home scoring: Ipswich have scored 38 goals in 21 home games.
Promotion chasers set to deliver a thrilling game
Sunday’s fixture between Ipswich and Middlesbrough is one of two massive promotion clashes at the top of the Championship (2025-2026) as the Tractor Boys sit second with 75 points from 41 games and Boro are fifth with 72 points from 42 fixtures.
A win for either side would be a huge step towards automatic or playoff promotion, but this fixture has proved a hard game for the hosts in recent years with Middlesbrough edging out the Tractor Boys 2-1 on Teesside five months ago. However, with 13 wins, seven draws and only one defeat from 21 home games in the Championship this term, Ipswich will arrive with the best record and a strong chance of securing a victory at Portman Road.
McKenna’s men make the running
Playing style
Kieran McKenna’s possession-based, high-pressing style has been in place at the club since December 2021 and has made the Tractor Boys one of the hardest teams to play against in the Championship.
Key players
They are equally adept at patiently building up possession in central areas as they are at switching play and playing fast on the break, while Jack Clarke and Conor Chaplin offer a lethal combination of penetration and precision in central and wide areas. Clarke, who has 14 goals in 41 Championship appearances, is the main focal point and Boro’s back three will have to keep the lively striker in check or risk being picked apart.
Boro are a different beast under new management
Tactical changes
Kim Hellberg has made some interesting changes since taking over at Boro that have seen them play with more attacking intent and tactical flexibility while keeping the wide overloads that their back-three and wing-back system creates.
Threats
Riley McGree is a real spark to have in the side as he is always driving forward from central areas, while Morgan Whittaker is Boro’s biggest threat with 11 goals in 36 appearances in the Championship this season. McGree’s style of play means that there are always Boro players in wide areas to stretch the play and overcrowd the flanks, but Ipswich’s central overloads will test Hellberg’s tactical approach.
Tractor Boys can make the most of home advantage
There will be goals at both ends on Sunday as Boro are a good away side with ten wins, six draws and five defeats from 21 games on their travels in the Championship.
But Ipswich are a better side and should be able to edge out Middlesbrough, although Boro’s average of 1.62 goals per away match suggests they will always be in the game.
- Each side has one win and there has been one draw in the last three meetings, so we are likely to see a similar result with Boro and the draw both offering good value in the outright market.
- So we are siding with the hosts to win the game in the draw no bet market, while the odds for over 2.5 goals and both teams to score are also very generous considering the stakes for both clubs.
