Ipswich Town VS Barnsley Match Prediction

Recent history favours the draw in this fixture, with the last four meetings between Ipswich Town and Barnsley all failing to find a winner. In fact, three of those four matches have ended 1-1.

In games at Portman Road, Barnsley have won just one of their last six visits to East Anglia, a 3-1 victory at this level back in 2010, which the overall head-to-head record also favours Ipswich Town. The Tractor Boys have beaten Barnsley 21 times and lost this match only on 13 occasions.

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Ipswich Town v Barnsley: Prediction

Barnsley have bounced between League One and the Championship on a regular basis in recent years and another battle against the drop looks to be on the cards this year, while Ipswich will be aiming for a place in the top six and a play-off place. A home win should therefore be the likeliest result, although the first game of the season is always particularly hard to call, while there is a very strong history of draws in this fixture in recent years.

Ipswich Town v Barnsley: Betting Tips

Ipswich are clear favourites for this game but there still looks to be good value in the price of 11/10 available on a home win at Portman Road on Saturday. Outsiders Barnsley are offered at 3/1, while the draw can be backed at 12/5 for this match. Considering three of the last four games between the teams have ended 1-1, this result on the correct score market is worth backing with a small wager at a price of 6/1, while both teams to score is available at a tempting 5/6 here.

Mick McCarthy's Ipswich Town will be targeting a play-off place this season, with Barnsley the visitors to Portman Road for the opening game of the season. There could be debuts for defender Adam Webster and Everton loanee Conor Grant, but another new arrival, former Spurs winger Grant Ward, is not likely to be deemed fit enough to start.

Goalkeeper Dean Gerken and striker Brett Pitman have been passed fit but Luke Hyam and Giles Coke are out with knee injuries, with Daryl Murphy likely to partner Freddie Sears up front.

Ipswich Town likely XI:

Bialkowski, Chambers, Smith, Berra, Knudsen, Bishop, Skuse, Bru, Green, Murphy, Sears.

Barnsley are back in the Championship after winning the League One play-offs last year and the signing of Tom Bradshaw is one of the most exciting in the English Football League. Bradshaw - a summer buy from Walsall - is expected to be partnered with Sam Winnall in attack this season.

First-choice goalkeeper Adam Davies is an injury doubt for this game, which might hand a start to Nick Townsend. Teenager James Bree is vying for selection at right-back with new arrival Andy Yiadom, while winger Andy Hammill is one of the Tykes' most important players.

Barnsley likely XI:

Davies, Bree, Mawson, Roberts, White, Kent, Scowen, Hourihane, Hammill, Winnall, Bradshaw.

Ipswich ended last season in good form - on a five-match unbeaten run - but promoted teams often continue their fine momentum due to high confidence levels, so this is too close to call. A draw is perhaps the most likely outcome, especially as the last four games between these clubs have all ended in a draw.

Ipswich only won two of their six pre-season friendlies, while Barnsley lost just one of their seven warm-up games.