Ipswich Town v Derby County
Ipswich remain there or thereabouts within site of the play offs. Coming off the back of a very impressive 2-0 victory at Brighton on Saturday the Tractor Boys remain an outside shot for the final play off spot. With David McGoldrick injured it seemed that Town’s season was going to drift to a rather dull end. However, Luke Murphy has filled the lone striker role and been doing a great shift for the team. The game on Saturday was one of Murphy’s best performances to date, notching up a goal and an assist. With just 5 points to bridge to 6th placed Reading, Ipswich still have plenty of points available to close the gap, but with several other sides in a similar position the time is now for Mick McCarthy’s men to make their charge.
What a weekend for Derby fans. Not only did they return to winning ways at home, they did it against Nottingham Forest. No win will get the fans more onside than this one and add to that the resulting sacking of Forest Billy Davies, it was as good as it gets. The euphoria of the win is starting to settle, replaced with the realisation that there is still lots to do. With football being the funny old game it is, Steve MacClaren will know that the footballing gods could bring the whole of the club back down to earth with a bump if they do not focus on this evening’s game. The win on Saturday highlighted all of Derby’s great qualities within the squad, prominently the work rate and free flowing style of play in which literally any player on the field could end up putting the ball in the net. The linchpin throughout all of this, however, is Craig Bryson. His hat trick on Saturday was just one of many match winning performances he has had this season. Now on 15 Championship goals there is every chance he could make it past the teens and into the 20’s. He is this game’s key man.
Score prediction: 2-1 Derby win
