Ipswich Town vs Stoke City — Match Preview
A massive promotion six-pointer takes place at Portman Road on Wednesday, 10 December 2025. Ipswich Town, currently 4th with 31 points, are looking to cement their playoff status and chase the automatic promotion spots. Stoke City, hot on their heels in 6th with 30 points, travel to Suffolk desperate to bounce back from a heavy 4–0 defeat to Sheffield United. With just one point separating the sides, this clash could reshape the top six.
Ipswich Town vs Stoke City — Match Info
- Competition: Championship (Matchday 20)
- Venue: Portman Road, Ipswich (Capacity: 30,017)
- Date: Wednesday, 10 December 2025
- Kickoff: 19:45 GMT | 20:45 CET | 01:15 IST (Thursday)
- Referee: A. Herczeg (ENG)
Ipswich Town vs Stoke City — Match Stakes
Ipswich Town (4th — 31 pts):
- Win → Moves to 34 pts, solidifying a Top 6 spot and pressuring the Top 2
- Draw → Keeps the gap to Stoke but risks dropping behind Millwall/Preston
- Loss → Drops below Stoke; potential slide out of playoff places
Stoke City (6th — 30 pts):
- Win → Leapfrogs Ipswich into 4th; huge morale boost after heavy defeat
- Draw → Stabilizes the ship but leaves them vulnerable to chasing pack
- Loss → Second consecutive loss; could fall out of the Top 6 completely
Ipswich Town vs Stoke City — Team News
Ipswich Town:
- Donacien J. — Out (Groin)
- Broadhead N. — Doubtful (Hamstring tweak vs Coventry)
- Morsy S. — Available (Returned from suspension)
Stoke City:
- Gooch L. — Out (Knee)
- Pearson B. — Out (Muscle)
- Rose M. — Doubtful (Knock vs Sheffield Utd)
Ipswich Town vs Stoke City — Team Form (Last 5 Matches)
Ipswich Town
- 06/12 — 3–0 vs Coventry (W)
- 03/12 — 1–1 vs Blackburn (D)
- 29/11 — 1–2 vs Oxford Utd (L)
- 26/11 — 2–0 vs Hull (W)
- 22/11 — 0–0 vs Wrexham (D)
Stoke City
- 06/12 — 0–4 vs Sheffield Utd (L)
- 29/11 — 1–2 vs Hull (L)
- 26/11 — 3–0 vs Charlton (W)
- 22/11 — 1–2 vs Leicester (L)
- 08/11 — 0–1 vs Coventry (L)
Ipswich Town vs Stoke City — Head-to-Head (Last 5 Meetings)
- 01/01/2024 — Stoke 0–0 Ipswich
- 12/08/2023 — Ipswich 2–0 Stoke
- 16/02/2019 — Ipswich 1–1 Stoke
- 08/12/2018 — Stoke 2–0 Ipswich
- 23/02/2008 — Stoke 1–0 Ipswich
Ipswich Town vs Stoke City — Playing XI (Predicted Lineups)
Ipswich Town (4-2-3-1)
Muric A.; Johnson B., O’Shea D., Greaves J., Davis L.; Morsy S., Cajuste J.; Hutchinson O., Chaplin C., Clarke J.; Delap L.
Stoke City (4-2-3-1)
Johansson V.; Tchamadeu J., Wilmot B., Gibson B., Bocat E.; Burger W., Thompson J.; Manhoef M., Bae Jun-ho, Thomas S.; Cannon T.
Ipswich Town vs Stoke City — Impact Bench
Ipswich Town: Szmodics (Goal threat), Burns (Pace), Hirst (Physical option)
Stoke City: Vidigal (Direct winger), Moran (Creativity), Gallagher (Aerial target)
Ipswich Town vs Stoke City — Tactical Analysis
Ipswich Town
Kieran McKenna’s side has rediscovered their rhythm with a dominant win over Coventry. Playing at Portman Road, expect them to monopolize possession and overload the left flank through Leif Davis. Their key will be quick transitions; Hutchinson and Clarke will look to isolate Stoke’s full-backs, who were exposed badly by Sheffield United last weekend.
Stoke City
Mark Robins needs a reaction after the 4–0 drubbing. Stoke will likely set up in a compact mid-block to frustrate Ipswich, relying on Wouter Burger to break up play. Their main threat comes from the counter-attack speed of Million Manhoef and Tom Cannon. If they try to go toe-to-toe with Ipswich’s possession game, they could get punished again.
Ipswich Town vs Stoke City — Key Battles
- Davis vs Manhoef — The league’s best attacking full-back vs a lightning-fast winger.
- Morsy vs Bae Jun-ho — A battle of grit vs creativity in the center.
- Greaves vs Cannon — Can Ipswich’s defense handle the movement of Stoke’s top scorer?
- Muric vs Johansson — A duel between two of the Championship’s best shot-stoppers.
Ipswich Town vs Stoke City — Spotlight Players
Ipswich Town — Liam Delap
Power, pace, and finishing. Delap has been a nightmare for defenders this season. Against a Stoke defense that just shipped four goals, he will be licking his lips.
Stoke City — Viktor Johansson
The Swedish goalkeeper is often the difference-maker for the Potters. After a tough outing in Sheffield, he needs a “Man of the Match” performance to keep Ipswich at bay.
Ipswich Town vs Stoke City — Prediction
Ipswich Town 2–1 Stoke City
Stoke are in a slump (4 losses in 5 games), while Ipswich seem to have stabilized with that 3–0 win over Coventry. Home advantage and the form of Liam Delap should be enough for the Tractor Boys to edge a tight contest.
Ipswich Town vs Stoke City — Betting Insights
- Ipswich to Win — Likely
- Over 2.5 Goals — YES
- Liam Delap to Score — High Probability
Ipswich Town vs Stoke City — Where to Watch
- UK: Sky Sports Football / Sky Sports Main Event
- International: iFollow / ESPN+ (USA)
- Highlights: ITV4 (EFL Highlights Show)
Ipswich Town vs Stoke City — FAQs
Q: When is the Ipswich Town vs Stoke City match?
A: The match kicks off on Wednesday, 10 December 2025, at 19:45 GMT.
Q: Where is Ipswich Town vs Stoke City being played?
A: The match takes place at Portman Road in Ipswich.
Q: Is Sam Morsy available for Ipswich?
A: Yes. The captain is available and expected to start in midfield.
Q: Who is the referee for Ipswich vs Stoke?
A: A. Herczeg will officiate the match.
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