Leicester City prepare for a crucial Premier League encounter with Ipswich Town at 3 pm on Saturday, November 2nd.
After a mixed start to the 2024/25 season, Leicester find themselves flirting with a relegation battle, a situation that has cast doubts over manager Steve Cooper’s future.
The Foxes come into this fixture on the back of a 3-1 league defeat to Nottingham Forest and a comprehensive Carabao Cup loss to Manchester United earlier in the week.
Currently 15th in the Premier League, Leicester sit a mere five points above the relegation zone, making Saturday’s match a must-win for the Midlands side.
Ipswich Town, meanwhile, have found the Premier League tough going since their promotion and are still searching for their first win of the campaign.
The Tractor Boys are rooted in 18th place, with four draws and five losses from their opening nine games. A victory against Leicester could lift them out of the bottom three and bring them within two points of the Foxes.
Paul Merson’s Ipswich Town vs Leicester City Prediction:
Paul Merson has shared his thoughts on the Ipswich-Leicester clash in his Sportskeeda column, identifying what ‘worries’ him about both sides.
Merson points to Ipswich’s recent struggles, particularly their 4-3 defeat to Brentford after leading 2-0.
Reflecting on their vulnerability, he remarked: “Ipswich Town were 2-0 up against Brentford last weekend but went 3-2 down before making it 3-3 with four minutes left to play, and still ended up losing! It worries me when I think when teams like Ipswich and Southampton are actually going to win their first game.”
He continued, “If Ipswich lose this game, they go eight points behind Leicester, and that would be 10 games without a win. That’s a mountain to climb! This is a cup final for Ipswich, and I have a feeling they’ll win this game. Leicester also lost last weekend against Nottingham Forest, and that would’ve dented their confidence.”
Merson also highlighted the example of teams like Nottingham Forest and Crystal Palace, which have thrived by avoiding relegation and building stability.
“Everton have been there before and survived. The next team after Leicester on the table is Manchester United, they won’t get relegated for sure. So this is a game both Ipswich and Leicester cannot afford to lose if they want to survive.”
With that, Merson has predicted a 2-1 win for Ipswich, suggesting Leicester’s struggles may continue.
Will Steve Cooper Be Sacked Following Ipswich Clash?
After the midweek defeat to Manchester United, frustrated Leicester fans voiced calls for Cooper’s dismissal.
Since joining Leicester in the summer, Cooper has yet to win over supporters, and his team’s defensive frailties have made them look increasingly vulnerable to a relegation fight.
A defeat to winless Ipswich, as Merson forecasts, would undoubtedly ramp up the pressure on Cooper.
Whether it would be enough to push Leicester’s board to take action remains to be seen, but a poor result on Saturday could bring Cooper’s tenure into question as the Foxes aim to turn their season around.