Norwich City vs Ipswich Town: Betting Odds & Prediction
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The East Anglian derby takes place this weekend as Norwich City host Ipswich Town at Carrow Road.
It is one of the most hotly anticipated clashes between the two teams in years, with Ipswich currently top of the Championship and Norwich right in the mix for the playoffs in sixth place. Kick-off is on Saturday at 12.30pm.
Recent Form
Norwich City
The Canaries have been superb at home this season, boasting the third best record in the division with 2.2 points per game and winning 70% of their matches. They have won seven in a row at Carrow Road and are unbeaten in twelve there, having turned their season around since languishing in lower-mid-table in November. However, they are coming off a 3-1 loss away to Ipswich’s promotion rivals Leicester City in their last match, which leaves them occupying the final play-off spot in sixth with 64 points, four clear of Coventry City who have a game in hand.
Norwich have scored an average of 1.95 goals per home game this season, and key to their chances on Saturday will be Josh Sargent. The American striker has scored in each of the seven games in Norwich’s current home winning run, and he is averaging a goal every 97 minutes in the Championship this season. Looking to provide the creative spark will be Brazilian midfielder Gabriel Sara, who has been one of the standout players in the division this year with eleven goals and eleven assists.
The recent history of this fixture has been very favourable for Norwich: they are unbeaten in the past eleven league encounters, in a run stretching all the way back to 2009. In an evenly matched and high-stakes derby, this factor could possibly end up being the difference. The two teams played out an entertaining 2-2 draw at Portman Road earlier this year, but Norwich will be missing exciting winger Jonathan Rowe, who scored both of their goals that day.
Ipswich Town
Ipswich will be absolutely desperate to break that barren run against their fierce rivals, and if it happened here it could hardly come at a better time. Following their astonishing last-gasp 3-2 victory at home to Southampton on Easter Monday, the Tractor Boys find themselves top of the league with six games left to play. They are one point ahead of Leeds United in second, and Leicester are just one point further back with a game in hand on both, in what has been a remarkable promotion race. An away derby win could galvanise them for a push over the finish line and secure Premier League football for the first time since 2002.
Their away form this season gives them reason for encouragement that they can do just that. Ipswich have the second best away record in the league, picking up an average of 1.9 points per game. After a mixed spell around Christmas, they have returned to form by winning four of their past five away games, keeping three clean sheets in that run. Ipswich have impressively conceded only one goal per game on their travels this season.
Leif Davis has played an integral role in their solid defence as well as going forward, with the marauding left wing-back scoring a stunning goal against Southampton and seemingly being everywhere on the pitch at once. His tally of sixteen assists leads all players in the division, and is already the most by a defender in Championship history.
INJURY-TIME STUNNER FOR IPSWICH 🔥
— World Soccer Talk (@worldsoccertalk) April 1, 2024
In the promotion race in the Championship, Sarmiento scores in the 97th minute to help Ipswich win 3-2, and move back into first place. Next game for #ITFC is Saturday's derby against Norwich!! 🔵⚪pic.twitter.com/JkFq0tMoao
Prediction
Something will have to give in this derby as one of the division’s best home sides comes up against one of the best away teams.
It is a mouth-watering fixture for the neutral and probably one that both sets of supporters just want to get out of the way. Ipswich will be riding high after their dramatic win against fourth-placed Southampton, but this title race has been full of twists and turns.
Norwich’s brilliant home form, combined with their recent record in the derby, means that OddsNow is predicting the home team to just about edge this one and deliver yet another twist at the top.