Leeds United are on their travels once again this weekend as they go to Portman Road to face Ipswich Town. United are now unbeaten in three games in all competitions and Simon Grayson will be hoping to capitilise on the fact that Ipswich have conceded 12 in their last two games. Leeds have a poor record against Town in recent times, the game of highest significance being the 1-1 draw at Elland Road which Saw United relegated to League One in April 2007.
Team News:
Tom Lees and Aidan White are both minor doubts for the game after picking up knocks over the course of the last two games, however Grayson remains hopeful that the pair will pull through in time for the game.
Although Luciano Becchio and Davide Somma are still in the treatment room, Billy Paynter is available for selection again following his injury. Simon Grayson has also confirmed that Andy Keogh will not be returning to Wolves early, depsite an injury to Wolves striker Svlvan Ebanks-Blake as there is no recall option available in the loan deal and the former Scunthorpe hit man will be in the Whites' travelling party.
Ben Parker, Michael Brown and Leigh Bromby are all likely to miss out once more but Patrick Kisnorbo, Andy Lonergan and Adam Clayton are likely to be recalled after they were both rested during the week against Doncaster.
Ramon Nunez has provided the Leeds gaffer with a welcome selection headache going into the weekend. His 5 goals in 3 starts means it is hard to leave him on the bench, but who do you leave out between the international duo of Max Gradel and Robert Snodgrass? That is something that Grayson must answer come 3PM on Saturday afternoon.
Ipswich have been busy in the transfer market this week and Jimmy Bullard, Ibrahima Sonko and Daryl Murphy could all be handed their debuts against Leeds. However it is unlikely there is going to be a reunion with Lee Bowyer as the former Elland Road favourite is a doubt for the game with a hamstring injury. Ivar Ingimarsson is also a doubt for the game whilst Lee Martin and Tommy Smith are both suspended after being sent off last week in the 7-1 mauling from Peterborough.
One to watch:
Michael Chopra has played most of his career in the Championship or the Premier League and knows all about scoring at this level. Despite getting off to a fairly slow start to his career at Newcastle, a goal filled loan spell at Barnsley showed he knew where the net was. Cardiff took the plunge and were rewarded with 22 goals in 42 games. Having paid 500k for him the previous summer, the Welsh outfit then made a £4.5 million profit as he traded Cardiff for Sunderland for £5 million. Another spell at Cardiff followed two years later before Chopra landed at Ipswich in the summer of 2011 and the Newcastle Born forward already has two goals to his name this season. If Leeds and Andy Lonergan are to keep their first clean sheet of the season it is essential that they keep the former Newcastle, Sunderland and Cardiff goal-getter quiet.
My prediction:
If Leeds can keep it tight at the back early on and not concede an early goal like they have done in each away outing so far this season then I think as the game goes on they will get more comfortable and I think we will nick it towards the end, 1-0 Leeds.
Last six meetings:
12th March 2011 - Leeds United 0-0 Ipswich Town
2nd October 2010 - Ipswich Town 2-1 Leeds United
28th April 2007 - Leeds United 1-1 Ipswich Town
16th December 2006 - Ipswich Town 1-0 Leeds United
31st January 2006 - Ipswich Town 1-1 Leeds United
24th September 2005 - Leeds United 0-2 Ipswich Town
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