Simon Dalton presents his prediction for the English Premier League match.
or the second time in a week, Ipswich Town will play at their Portman Road. The first attempt ended in failure, with a defeat to Crystal Palace (0:1). Ipswich Town have been generous hosts so far, not denying any guests a victory. Will they show some grit against Bournemouth?
Ipswich Town
Crystal Palace seemed a manageable opponent: they didn't score much, but they didn't concede a lot either. They delivered on the latter, and managed to net a goal. We wouldn’t say the visitors had many opportunities, just three scoring chances, but it was enough. What can Ipswich Town offer against Bournemouth? Six goals from Liam Delap, although he hasn't scored since round 11. His value is significant: he's already secured five points out of nine for the club. An average of 1.46 xG per game should suffice for a goal. Ipswich have only failed to score in five of their 14 matches.
Bournemouth
Bournemouth have demonstrated they can beat any opponent at home. After victories over Arsenal (2:0) and Manchester City (2:1), they clinched a win against Tottenham Hotspur (1:0) in the previous round. They posted 3.71 xG for the match and 2.68 just in the second half, but Fraser Forster pulled off seven saves. Ipswich Town’s chance lies in Bournemouth’s travel struggles. However, in some games, their spirited nature shines through. In their last two away fixtures, they participated in thrilling goal fests: 2:3 against Brentford and 4:2 against Wolverhampton.
Ipswich Town vs Bournemouth Prediction
All this leads us to believe that neither team will leave the pitch without scoring. Both sides concede more than a goal per match. We predict an exchange of goals.
