Bournemouth vs Ipswich Preview: Team News & Prediction

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AFC Bournemouth have endured a difficult couple of months and need to prevent their season fading away as they welcome relegation-bound Ipswich Town to the Vitality Stadium this week.

Kick-off date/time: Wednesday 2nd April, 2025: UK – 7:45pm / US ET – 2:45pm / US PT – 11:45am

How to watch on TV: UK – Not televised / US – Not televised

How to watch online: UK – Cannot be streamed / US – Peacock

Bournemouth Preview: Cherries issues

Former Rayo Vallecano boss Andoni Iraola will be a little irritated with AFC Bournemouth’s last couple of months as the Cherries have slipped outside of the top eight or nine spots in the Premier League, which could be enough to qualify for UEFA competition this season.

As well as that poor form in the league, they suffered a 2-1 defeat to Manchester City at the weekend at the Vitality Stadium in the quarter-finals of the FA Cup in a game in which they did a half-time lead before second-half strikes from Erling Braut Haaland and Omar Marmoush.

Ipswich Preview: A tough season

Kieran McKenna has earned plaudits this season with his Ipswich Town side, who have earned back-to-back automatic promotions to the top-flight, proving themselves to be entertaining to watch but the lack of competitiveness in terms of results leaves them bound for relegation.

The Tractor Boys begin this week’s round of fixtures sitting nine points adrift of safety. They most recently suffered a 4-2 defeat at home to Nottingham Forest at Portman Road a couple of weeks ago and remain winless in the league in 2025.

Bournemouth Team News: Kluivert a doubt

In his pre-match press conference, Andoni Iraola has confirmed that Netherlands international attacking midfielder Justin Kluivert is a doubt for this one and will face a late fitness test. The likes of Dean Huijsen and Milos Kerkez missed out at the weekend but are expected to return for this one.

Predicted XI (4-2-3-1): Kepa; Cook, Zabarnyi, Huijsen, Kerkez; Adams, Christie; Ouattara, Brooks, Semenyo; Evanilson

Unavailable: Tavernier (Injured), Sinisterra (Injured), Unal (Injured)

Questionable: Araujo (Fitness), Kluivert (Injured)

Ipswich Team News: Chaplin close to return

Northern Irish boss Kieran McKenna has said that Conor Chaplin is nearing a return having been absent for three months, training with the squad in the last week. He has said that they have 'one or two' of their international players being assessed after the international break.

Predicted XI (4-2-3-1): Palmer; O'Shea, Woolfenden, Greaves, Davis; Phillips, Cajuste; Johnson, Hutchinson, Philogene; Delap

Unavailable: Muric (Injured), Tuanzebe (Injured), Burns (Injured), Ogbene (Injured), Szmodics (Injured)

Questionable: Chaplin (Fitness)

Bournemouth vs Ipswich Prediction

AFC Bournemouth, with their intense and aggressive pressing style of football, are perhaps attempting to deal with fatigue and they are doing that quite badly. The Cherries have now not won a game inside 90 minutes in their last six matches across all competitions. They now face an Ipswich Town side that may head into the final month and a half of the campaign with a bit of pressure off knowing their fate is most likely already sealed so that could lead to quite a fun watch for the neutral here down on the south coast.

Bournemouth vs Ipswich Tip: Over 2.5 goals