Middlesbrough and Ipswich collide with contrasting momentum as both sides eye Championship success.

Middlesbrough’s latest outing ended in a 1–0 defeat away at Portsmouth—an unwelcome setback that snapped a promising run of form.
Ipswich, on their part, recorded a 3–1 home victory over Norwich City, a result that reinforced their attacking credentials and added confidence to their campaign.

Recent run

Middlesbrough: In their last five matches, Boro have gathered one win, three draws and a loss. They have shown defensive resilience in many matches but have sometimes struggled to convert possession into decisive attacking output. Their campaign began strongly, and while this latest slip is a blemish, the underlying consistency remains solid.
Ipswich: Ipswich come into this ahead of the clash with a better recent record: three wins and two draws in their last five outings. Their home form has been particularly potent—scoring freely and showing an ability to dominate games. Their momentum is upward, especially after their comprehensive win over Norwich.

Home and Away Form

Middlesbrough at home

At the Riverside, Middlesbrough have been formidable. Their home matches often see them in control—pressing high, exploiting width, and deploying disciplined structure to strangle the opposition’s play. Opponents often find it hard to operate through the midfield, and transitions are tightly monitored. Their home form gives them a platform to dictate matches.

Ipswich on the road

On the road, Ipswich adopt a more measured approach. They tend to stay compact, avoid giving ground in midfield, and look to exploit turnovers and quick attacks. Their away performances demand discipline: they rarely push recklessly but instead wait for moments to strike. When their forwards are supplied properly, they’ve shown the capacity to hurt teams even away from home.

Head-to-Head Record

Last five meetings

• In their recent head-to-head matches, Middlesbrough have eked out narrow victories while Ipswich have had successes too—these contests tend to be tight, low-scoring affairs.

• In the last five meetings, Middlesbrough have won twice and the other three were draws.

• One key characteristic: games between them often hinge on set pieces, defensive errors or momentary lapses rather than sustained dominance.

Overall head-to-head

Historically, their record is well balanced. Out of 20 previous meetings, Middlesbrough have won 8, Ipswich 5, and 7 ended in draws.
In longer historical records, Middlesbrough maintain a slight edge, but not one that dominates. Matches between them typically average low to moderate goal totals, reinforcing how closely matched they are in style and outcome.

Team News

Injuries, suspensions

• Middlesbrough: There are no publicly reported major new absences, but fitness and rotation may play a role. The manager may emphasize keeping a strong spine—defenders and central midfielders—to maintain stability.

• Ipswich: Ipswich also look to have a relatively clean bill of health, but minor knocks or squad rotation may influence choices up front or on the flanks. Their recent performances suggest the core is available and in good form.

Tactical expectations

Middlesbrough will likely try to control from the back, press in midfield, and push their fullbacks forward to overload wide areas. Their objective will be to dictate pace and reduce Ipswich’s time on the ball.
Ipswich, aware of the challenge, may begin compact, absorb pressure, and look to break rapidly on the counter. Their strikers and midfield runners may exploit gaps left when Boro advance. Especially in transitions and set pieces, Ipswich may look to turn Boro’s control into vulnerability.