Ipswichvs.Everton

This will be the first meeting between the two clubs in over 20 years, and the Toffees will certainly hope they can improve on the results they suffered when the Tractor Boys were last a top-tier outfit.

Match preview

After Ipswich beat Everton in the Premier League at Goodison Park in February 2002, they would go on to win just one of their final 12 games that season before being relegated.

It has taken the Tractor Boys 22 years to return to the top flight, but that run has been extended to one win in 19, as Ipswich are still winless on their return.

Never before have Ipswich gone eight games without a win to start a top-flight season, so manager Kieran McKenna will be looking to avoid making unwanted history here, even though his side are in a respectable position given the difficult start they had.

Meeting Liverpool and Manchester City in their first two games was very unfortunate, and Ipswich then proved they were capable at this level by drawing their next four matches in succession.

However, a 4-1 defeat at West Ham United is not how McKenna would have wanted to sign off before the international break, and illustrated the true reality of Premier League football and how unforgiving it can be.

With Everton and Leicester City in their next two games at Portman Road, the East Anglian side will be expectant of picking up a first Premier League win of the season before the next set of internationals, otherwise they are likely going to slip into the bottom three, with Crystal Palace only one point behind.

Ipswich came close to victories against Aston Villa and Fulham, thanks to some heroics from Liam Delap up front, but they were just unable to get over the line, settling for a point in both.

Even though it was over two decades ago, the home faithful will look to their most recent results against Everton as a means to be confident here, and with good reason, considering Ipswich took 10 points from their four games with the Toffees in their two-year spell in the top flight between 2000 and 2002.

During the 1990s, Everton had the upper hand though, winning five of the six meetings between 1993 and 1999, but their recent record on the road suggests they may find it tough against the newly-promoted side.

Only twice in Premier League history have Everton been on a longer winless run away from home than their current streak of 14, but there are signs of optimism after a dreadful start.

Everton fans do not need reminding about the disastrous back-to-back defeats they suffered against Bournemouth and Aston Villa, with the only game they avoided defeat in across their opening six games being an EFL Cup tie against fourth-tier Doncaster Rovers.

Since then though, Everton have gone three matches without defeat, picking up their first point of the season at Leicester, beating Crystal Palace, and keeping Newcastle United at bay in a goalless draw before the break.

Anthony Gordon became the first ex-Everton player to have a penalty saved at Goodison Park for 102 years when his England teammate Jordan Pickford denied him from the spot in the first half, and Everton were livid that they did not get one of their own after the interval, when Dan Burn appeared to trip Dominic Calvert-Lewin.

That point left Everton in 16th heading into the internationals, and two points above the drop zone, so with games against Manchester United, Liverpool, Arsenal, Chelsea and Manchester City in the space of three-and-a-half weeks in December, Sean Dyche's side really have to pick up wins sooner rather than later.

The five games before that torrid run pairs Everton up with Ipswich next, then Fulham, Southampton, West Ham and Brentford, and with new owners set to take over in that time, if Dyche cannot move Everton up the table, his job will be seriously under threat.

Ipswich Town Premier League form:

L

D

D

D

D

L

Ipswich Town form (all competitions):

L

D

D

D

D

L

Everton Premier League form:

L

L

L

D

W

D

Everton form (all competitions):

L

L

L

D

W

D

Team News

Jens Cajuste and former Everton man Nathan Broadhead are closing in on returns for Ipswich after spells on the sidelines, but Janoi Donacien and Ali Al-Hamadi missed international duty with St Lucia and Iraq respectively, as they continue to recover from setbacks.

Axel Tuanzebe will remain out after almost losing his thumb in a freak accident at home earlier this month, while Massimo Luongo's fitness is also a doubt after he missed the West Ham defeat.

Delap is the man in form for the hosts, but his England Under-21 partner Omari Hutchinson was in excellent form over the international break, scoring and setting up three goals as a sub in their 7-0 win over Azerbaijan on Tuesday.

Everton fans were given a scare during the break, as Iliman Ndiaye limped off in Senegal's win over Malawi, but the Toffees' key man made a quick recovery to come on as a sub in their second game a few days later.

Jarrad Branthwaite used the break to recover from the thigh issue that kept him out of the draw with Newcastle, but Dyche has revealed that he will only make a decision over his inclusion around 24 hours prior to kickoff.

With full-back a problem area for Everton at present, Vitalii Mykolenko's return will be welcome news, but James Garner has sustained a back injury in the last week and will miss out.

Ipswich Town possible starting lineup:

Muric; Johnson, O'Shea, Greaves, Davis; Morsy, Phillips; Burns, Hutchinson, Clarke; Delap

Everton possible starting lineup:

Pickford, Young, Tarkowski, Keane, Mykolenko; Gueye, Doucoure; Harrison, McNeil, Ndiaye; Calvert-Lewin

We say: Ipswich Town 1-1 Everton

Everton's troubles on the road are well-documented, as they are without a win away from Goodison since mid-December, and Ipswich have proven difficult to beat at home since their return to the top flight.

Previews by email