Crystal Palace vs Ipswich predictions: Town's troubles to increase
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- Crystal Palace have won five of their last nine matches 2-0
- Ipswich have failed to score in three of their last five league games with Crystal Palace
- Recommended bet: Crystal Palace to win 2-0
Crystal Palace have an FA Cup quarter-final trip to Fulham to look forward to but their immediate focus will be on the Premier League visit of Ipswich as they aim to maintain their push for a top-half finish this season.
The Eagles have picked up 36 points, which is eight more than their total at the same stage of last season.
They have posted only three of their nine league wins at Selhurst Park but one of those came last Tuesday with a thumping 4-1 triumph over Aston Villa.
Palace have grown accustomed to winning but Ipswich have taken maximum points only three times in 27 attempts in the top flight.
The Tractor Boys have picked up just one point from their last seven league matches and were knocked out of the FA Cup on Monday after a penalty shootout loss to Nottingham Forest.
Team news
Jean-Philippe Mateta needed 25 stitches after suffering a serious head injury in Crystal Palace’s 3-1 victory at home to Millwall in the FA Cup so the striker misses out this weekend.
Will Hughes begins a two-game ban after accumulating 10 yellow cards. Cheick Doucoure, Chadi Riad (both knee) and Joel Ward (calf) complete the home side's absentee list.
Christian Walton (groin) is back in contention for Ipswich and Kalvin Phillips and Cameron Burgess (both calf) face late fitness tests.
However, the Tractor Boys will be without Conor Chaplin, Omari Hutchinson, Wes Burns and Julio Enciso (all knee), Chiedozie Ogbene (Achilles), Sammie Szmodics (ankle) and Axel Tuanzebe (thigh).
The stats
Crystal Palace have kept clean sheets in six of their last 10 matches.
Palace have won five of their last seven Premier League fixtures.
The Eagles have scored the first goal in five of their last six games.
Ipswich have gone nine games without keeping a clean sheet.
Six of Ipswich's last eight matches have featured at least three goals.
Ipswich have gone eight league games without a victory.
Prediction
Crystal Palace have racked up 20 points from their last 10 Premier League games and their progress can continue with a routine victory over Ipswich in south London.
Oliver Glasner will have to make at least one enforced change with his top scorer Mateta afforded time to recover from the nasty head injury sustained in last Saturday’s FA Cup fifth round success over Millwall.
But he still has some excellent attacking options with Eddie Nketiah keen to stake a claim through the middle and Eberechi Eze and Ismaila Sarr intent on maintaining their high standards.
Ipswich will have their hands full containing the Palace attackers and they may struggle to offer much of a response at the other end.
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The Tractor Boys head to London without influential injured attacking midfielder Hutchinson and they may struggle to stop their hosts from registering a fifth clean sheet in eight league games.
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