Fulham boss Marco Silva anticipates difficult game against newly-promoted Ipswich.
Ipswich Town vs
Fulham
In a clash of contrasting fortunes at Portman Road, newly-promoted Ipswich Town seek their first Premier League points against a confident Fulham side riding high on a winning streak, as Kieran McKenna and Marco Silva each aim to capitalize on key tactical setups in this intriguing contest.
Ipswich Town
Ipswich came close to securing their first competitive win of the season during the recent EFL Cup clash, which ended in a 2-2 draw against Wimbledon. Unfortunately, the Tractor Boys were eliminated after a 2-4 loss on penalties.
This exit follows back-to-back Premier League defeats, with challenging matches against Liverpool and Manchester City. The latter confrontation resulted in a 4-1 loss, making the Premier League experience demanding for Ipswich.
As Ipswich faces Fulham this weekend, they are eager to earn their first points following a 22-year absence from the top flight. In their only previous Premier League encounters during the 2001/2002 campaign, Ipswich remained unbeaten against Fulham with a win and a draw.
Kieran McKenna is expected to employ a 4-2-3-1 formation, featuring Liam Delap in attack. However, Ipswich may miss up to four players due to injuries, including Harry Clarke, George Hirst, and Nathan Broadhead.
In transfer news, Ipswich Town has completed the signing of Chiedozie Ogbene from Luton for an undisclosed fee. Ogbene expressed his excitement, stating, "I’m very excited and feel lucky to have this opportunity to play in the Premier League again," in an interview with TownTV following his arrival.
Fulham
Unlike Town, Fulham picked up a 2-0 win over Birmingham in the EFL Cup during the week. That victory marked back-to-back wins for the Cottagers across all competitions, following last weekend’s 2-1 triumph over newly-promoted Leicester City.
On Saturday, Fulham could secure a victory against another promoted side when they visit Portman Road. A fine run of recent form against the Tractor Boys provides the visitors with much-needed confidence, having won their last four league meetings against Ipswich.
However, Marco Silva anticipates a challenging match. "I expect a really tough game," he commented in a pre-match press conference. "They have an unbelievable winning mentality from the last two seasons," he added, acknowledging Ipswich's impressive rise from League One to the Premier League.
Fulham is expected to line up in a 4-2-3-1 formation, with Rodrigo Muniz leading the attack. The Cottagers have no injury concerns ahead of Saturday's trip to Ipswich.
