Portsmouth vs Ipswich prediction 03.02.2026 | Championship

Portsmouth secured promotion from League One in 2023/24 and were close to relegation from the Championship the following season, finishing 16th. This season, the popular Pompey have been in and out of the danger zone. However, since mid-December, they started playing a lot better, losing once in the last nine league matches! Now, Pompey are 20th with 33 points from 28 rounds - four points away from the danger zone and with one game played less. 

That good run has been particularly impressive given their massive injury problems. That will be the case in the upcoming game as well, as they will miss up to ten players who already missed games earlier. Additionally, one of their best players this season, Conor Chaplin, will miss the game since he is on a loan deal from Ipswich.

Ipswich suffered relegation last season from the Premier League and were considered one of the primary candidates for promotion. However, the popular Tractor Boys started off terribly, failing to win in the first four league games. Still, despite their poor start, they slowly climbed in the league table and even spent some time in second place. Unfortunately, after winning two points in back-to-back games, they dropped to 4th place. Now, they are seven points away from the desired 2nd place, but with one game played less. Generally, the main issue for Ipsiwch is their poor road record, and if they want to contend for the first two spots, they have to fix their problems on the road. 

In recent days, coach Kieran McKenna has been linked with Manchester United, since Michael Carrick is only a temporary option (according to MU). However, coach McKenna said he has no interest in the Manchester United job, saying his focus is on securing promotion to the Premier League with Ipswich.