Ipswich Town vs Manchester City preview: Oscar Bobb, Ruben Dias, John Stones doubtful for trip to Portman Road

By Ric Turner, Fri 17 January 2025 16:14


Ipswich Town vs Manchester City preview: Oscar Bobb, Ruben Dias, John Stones doubtful for trip to Portman RoadBlues looking to bounce back after late set back at Brentford in midweek

Ipswich Town vs Manchester City

Competition: F.A. Premier League

Date: 4.30pm, Sunday 19th January 2025

Venue: Portman Road, Ipswich

Referee: Sam Barrott Assistants: T Wood, R West Fourth Official: T Robinson VAR: P Tierney

Odds: Ipswich 13/2, Draw 17/4, City 4/11

Tickets: Sold out

TV: Sky Sports

Ipswich Town

Manager: Kieran McKenna

Squad (from): Muric, Slicker, Walton, Clarke, Davis, Woolfenden, Johnson, Townsend, Greaves, O'Shea, Godfrey, Morsy, Cajuste, Taylor, Luongo, Burns, Al-Hamadi, Delap, Hutchinson, Hirst, Broadhead, Clarke, Philogene

Injured: Ogbene, Chaplin, Tuanzebe, Szmodics

Doubtful: None

Suspended: None

Unavailable: Phillips

Form guide: LWDWL

Manchester City

Manager: Pep Guardiola

Squad (from): Ortega, Ederson, Carson, Dias, Stones, Ake, Gvardiol, Akanji, Simpson-Pusey, Lewis, Kovacic, Grealish, De Bruyne, Gundogan, Silva, Nunes, Foden, Bobb, McAtee, Haaland, Doku, Savinho

Injured: Rodri

Doubtful: Bobb, Stones, Dias

Suspended: None

Form guide: DWWWD

John Stones, Oscar Bobb and Ruben Dias remain injury doubts for the trip to Portman Road, but Erling Haaland is almost certain to start, just days after signing a new nine-and-a-half year contract at the club.

“It’s exceptional news for all of us at the club,” Guardiola said at Friday's press conference.

“When one player decides to sign this type of contract it’s because he wants to show how he wants to be here.

“It’s the trust of the club to Erling – the club knows perfectly how professional he is. His commitment every day and every game to show his talent.

“And from him because in 10 years we never know what’s going to happen, it’s a long time. Always in a short career what will happen will happen. He proved what he wanted. And he has trust in the club.

City won their last game at Portman Road 4-1, way back in 2002 with goals from Eyal Berkovic, Shaun Goater (2) and Darren Huckerby. Overall City have won 24 of the 67 games played against the Tractor Boys, with 15 draws and 28 defeats.

Predicted line-up: Ortega, Akanj, Dias, Ake, Gvardiol, Kovacic, Silva, De Bruyne, Foden, Savinho, Haaland

Score prediction: Ipswich 1 City 2