Saints v Ipswich

Ipswich Town travel down to the south coast for tomorrow’s match against a Southampton side reeling from the loss of their highly rated youngster Theo Walcott who has signed for Arsenal. The meeting also pits manager George Burley against his former club once again.

Vital Quotes:

Town Captain Jim Magilton: ‘Southampton, like Norwich and Palace as well, did not have the first half of the season they would have hoped for,’

‘Perhaps their players have taken a while to adjust to playing in the Championship after being in the Premiership last season.

‘But they have some talented young players there as well as experienced ones and with George in charge, who knows this division very well, I can see them making a late charge and pushing hard for that top six.’

Southampton Team News:

The Saints have defender Darren Kenton available again after an ankle injury. Chris Baird is also fit after a dead leg and striker Marian Pahars (knee) makes the bench. It means Saints’ only absentees are Michael Svensson (knee) and goalkeeper Michael Poke (wrist)

Player to watch: Nigel Quashie

Former England U21, the midfielder is the heartbeat of the Saints side and is top scorer this season with 5 goals

Ipswich Town Team News:

Joe Royle is set to keep faith with the same team that drew with Sheffield United last week as strikers Sam Parkin and Nicky Forster are still out. Adam Proudlock is training again, but lacks match practice.

Player to watch: Alan Lee

After a decent home debut, Alan Lee will be looking to go up a gear a grab his first goal in Town colours

Match Facts & Stats

The all time record shows Town to have had the upper hand, picking up 22 wins, whilst there have been 16 draws, with the Saints winning 18 of the 56 meetings so far.

The last meeting between the sides came earlier this season when a floodlight failure distrupted the match at Portman Road. In the end, the teams battled out a 2-2 draw. Richard Naylor put Town into a first half lead, before Darren Powell equalised early in the second half. Owen Garven put Town ahead again, before Dennis Wise equalised. The teams that day (13th September 2005) were:

Ipswich Town: Price, Wilnis (Richards, 45), Naylor, De Vos, McEveley, Peters (Juan, 54), Horlock, Garvan (McDonald, 77), Currie, Parkin, Bowditch.

ubs not used: Magilton, Supple.

Southampton: Niemi, Hajto, Lundekvam, Powell, Higginbotham, Kosowski (Walcott, 82), Oakley, Quashie, Wise, Ormerod, Fuller.

ubs not used: Smith, McCann, Delap.

Bookings: Garvan, Horlock (Ipswich); Fuller (Southampton)

Attendance: 22,997

Referee: Phil Joslin (Nottinghamshire)

Ref Watch:

Tomorrow’s referee will be Mr Steve Tanner from Somerset. The assistant referee’s are Mr D J Phillips and Mr I J Woodward, with the Fourth Official being Mr J J Linington.

Mr Tanner is a National League referee, and last took charge of a Town game in their 2-0 defeat at Reading earlier this season when he booked 5 Ipswich players. Meanwhile, he last refereed Southampton just a couple of weeks ago in their 4-3 FA Cup win over MK Dons.

So far this season, in 24 matches, Mr Tanner has shown 94 yellow cards and 7 red cards.