Chelsea v Ipswich match preview
When Ipswich Town beat Chelsea 2-0 at home on December 30, one of the shocks of the season in the Premier League was also considered a blow to the Blues’ title hopes and a potentially precious win in the Tractor Boys’ battle against relegation.
Chelsea’s miserable away form has long since rendered their main ambition that of qualifying for the Champions League, and they start the weekend in fourth, four points clear of sixth-placed Manchester City.
“On that day, they had more desire than us to get the three points,” Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca recalled of his side’s defeat at Portman Road.
“I still remember the game and, even if we had many chances to score, they defended really well. They are a very good team.”
Grafting. #CHEIPS pic.twitter.com/RDCez9lOPP
— Ipswich Town (@IpswichTown) April 10, 2025
Ipswich followed up that victory with a horror run of two points from 10 games, only winning again at Bournemouth on April 2 before being beaten at home by Wolves last Saturday to leave Kieran McKenna’s team on the brink of relegation.
“I’m still happy here,” said McKenna, who was courted by several clubs after leading Town to a second successive promotion last season.
“This year was always going to be a challenge. The fact it was going to be a big challenge was one of the reasons why I wanted to stay.
“I felt it was the right thing to do. As I’ve said a few times, the club has a fantastically bright future in many, many different ways.
“It’s a club that’s on the up, irrespective of a possible – you can say a probable – backward step this year. There’s still a great potential to make some big strides over the next few years, so I’m excited to be part of that.”
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Chelsea v Ipswich team news
Ipswich top scorer Liam Delap, who is being linked with clubs including Chelsea, picked up a “really heavy knock” against Wolves and has missed training sessions this week, McKenna said.
Forward Omari Hutchinson has missed Town’s last two games and remains a doubt, while wingers Wes Burns and Chiedozie Ogbene, striker Samuel Szmodics and goalkeeper Arijanet Muric are long-term absentees.
Chelsea defender Wesley Fofana will miss the rest of the season following hamstring surgery but midfielder Romeo Lavia and striker Marc Guiu could return before the end of the campaign.
Maresca may rotate his starting line-up after keeping the likes of Marc Cucurella, Levi Colwill, Enzo Fernandez, Moises Caicedo and Nicolas Jackson in reserve for the 3-0 win at Legia Warsaw in the first leg of the Europa League quarter-finals on Thursday.
