A blockbuster Championship clash awaits on Sunday lunchtime as promotion favourites Ipswich Town and Southampton lock horns at Portman Road.
EFL Championship
Our Three Predictions For Ipswich Town vs Southampton:
- First Prediction For Ipswich Town vs Southampton: Match Result – Draw – 5/2
- Second Prediction For Ipswich Town vs Southampton: Over 3.5 Goals – 2/1
- Third Prediction For Ipswich Town vs Southampton: Both Teams To Score – Yes – 13/20
First Prediction For Ipswich Town vs Southampton: Match Result – Draw – 5/2
Neither of these two sides particularly impressed on the opening weekend, but both got positive results. Big-spending Birmingham City led for 40 second-half minutes last Friday evening against Ipswich, before George Hirst scored a controversial penalty in the fifth minute of stoppage time to rescue an undeserved point for the Tractor Boys. The following lunchtime, Southampton trailed Wrexham for almost three quarters of the afternoon before a dramatic period of injury-time. Ryan Manning scored a fabulous free-kick from 25 yards out to level the scores, before Jack Stevens scored even later than their Sunday opponents to secure an unlikely victory from the jaws of defeat. Ipswich are back at Portman Road for the first time since relegation, with the Saints also looking to bounce back at the first time of asking. With that in mind, expect these promotion candidates to counteract each other and end in a frantic draw this Sunday.
Second Prediction For Ipswich Town vs Southampton: Over 3.5 Goals – 2/1
It would be unfair to judge the two sides’ scoring ability on their performances in the Premier League last term. Southampton managed the fewest of the twenty top-flight teams with 26, while Ipswich also scored under a goal a game with 36. At the other end, their defences were the two leakiest in the league, shipping a mammoth 168 between them across 38 games. But, the last time these two were in the second tier, the Tractor Boys topped the scoring charts with 92, while Southampton were just behind on 87. They were far from the best defensively, though, as the Saints ranked in the bottom half despite finishing fourth, and Ipswich were seventh even though they won automatic promotion. Expect plenty of goalmouth action in Sunday’s early kick-off.
Third Prediction For Ipswich Town vs Southampton: Both Teams To Score – Yes – 13/20
The last time this was a Championship fixture, it was an absolutely thrilling affair. Ipswich climbed to the top of the table after a three-two win, but that alone doesn’t tell half the tale. Leif Davis was on target for the hosts before quick-fire goals from Che Adams and Adam Armstrong turned the game around in a thrilling opening. Midway through the second period, Nathan Broadhead levelled the scores before James Bree was dismissed for the away side. And seven minutes into stoppage time, Jeremy Sarmiento delivered the fatal blow to send Portman Road delirious. Even last term, when both sides struggled, the two league meetings saw both teams find the net. Only twice in the last nine meetings has that feat not been achieved, meaning that both sides scoring, probably late in the contest, should be expected.
Best Odds For Ipswich Town vs Southampton
| Bookmaker | Ipswich Town | Draw | Southampton |
| MyriadPlay | 11/10 | 5/2 | 12/5 |
| Gentleman Jim | 21/10 | 5/2 | 12/5 |
| Betarno | 21/20 | 12/5 | 23/10 |
The table above shows the latest odds from leading football betting websites.
Full Preview Of The Game: Last Results And Head-To-Head:
Ipswich are the favourites for promotion in the Championship, largely because they have kept the bulk of their top-flight side this term. With the gap widening between the top two divisions in English football, it is becoming increasingly harder to compete and for promoted sides to somehow find a way to avoid relegation from the Premier League. Liam Delap has been their big outgoing to date, moving back to the Premier League with Chelsea, while Omari Hutchinson completed his transfer to Nottingham Forest yesterday, fetching a fee of £37.5m. Axel Tuanzebe has joined Burnley, while Nathan Broadhead has also banked Ipswich a nice fee after completing his transfer to Wrexham.
Because, on paper at least, Ipswich’s squad remains so strong, recruitment hasn’t been needed to the same extent as their second-tier rivals. Perhaps the biggest piece of business has been keeping hold of Kieran McKenna, with the Tractor Boys manager having three years left on his deal, which he signed last May. He is closing in on 200 games at the helm, having taken over in December 2021 and guided the Suffolk outfit to back-to-back promotions from League One to the Premier League. On the pitch, Azor Matusiwa has been the only big-money addition to date, bolstering their midfield from Stade Rennais in France. Chuba Akpom will demand a fee in the region of £7m if Ipswich are promoted, while Jens Cajuste also arrives on loan from Napoli. Cédric Kipré joins from Stade Reims on loan with Championship experience from his time at West Bromwich Albion, while David Button (Reading) and Ashley Young (Everton) are two names that epitomise experience at the end of their long careers.
A mentality change is required for the Saints following their dismal relegation from the Premier League. Southampton finished the campaign with the second-lowest points tally in the competition’s history, accumulating only twelve points throughout the season. They now hold the unwanted record of the earliest relegation in terms of games remaining, going down following a loss to Tottenham Hotspur with seven games remaining. But the Saints just about managed to accrue enough points to surpass Derby’s record low tally, despite already being relegated. Tasked with guiding the South Coast outfit straight back to the Premier League is Will Still. The 32-year-old has previously managed Reims and Lens in the past few years, earning fame from his Football Manager exploits.
If Ipswich’s summer window has been minimal, then the Saints have taken that to the next level with just two summer signings. Forward Damion Downs and centre-half Joshua Quarshie have both come from the German Bundesliga, signed from Cologne and Hoffenheim, respectively. Departures have been plentiful, with Kamaldeen Sulemana fetching an eight-figure fee from Atalanta. Jan Bednarek (Porto) and Samuel Amo-Ameyaw (Strasbourg) also leave for decent money, both moving to top-flight sides in Europe. Also completing a similar move is Paul Onuachu at Trabzonspor. Looking back in England, Aaron Ramsdale has been loaned out to Newcastle United, while Kyle Walker-Peters and Joe Lumley join West Ham United and Bristol City, respectively. Adam Lallana has retired after moving back to the Saints ahead of what was now his final year as a professional footballer.
Confrontation17/08/2025 Championship Championship 
Ipswich 
Southampton 1 1 01/02/2025 Premier League Premier League
Ipswich Town
Southampton 1 2 21/09/2024 Premier League Premier League
Southampton
Ipswich Town 1 1 01/04/2024 Championship Championship
Ipswich Town
Southampton 3 2 19/09/2023 Championship Championship
Southampton
Ipswich Town 0 1 Last Results - Ipswich
|
Where To Watch Ipswich Town vs Southampton:
Where can I watch the game, either on TV or in person?
- Location: Portman Road, Ipswich
- Date: Sunday 17th August, 2025
- TV Channel: Sky Sports Football
Probable Lineups For Ipswich Town vs Southampton:
Predicted Ipswich Town Lineup:
- Lineup: Palmer, Johnson, O’Shea, Greaves, Davis, Matusiwa, Taylor, Ogbene, Szmodics, J Clarke, Hirst
- Suspended/Injured: Townsend, H Clarke
- Coach: Kieran McKenna
Predicted Southampton Lineup:
- Lineup: Bazunu, Edwards, Stephens, Quarshie, Sugawara, Wellington, Charles, Downes, Fernandes, Fraser, Armstrong
- Suspended/Injured: Edozie
- Coach: Will Still
