Ipswich to inflict more hurt on Birmingham
Ipswich are all but out of the running for the Championship playoff places. The club is 10 points back of the last playoff place, and with 24 points still available, Ipswich still have a mathematical chance of making the postseason.
However, Mick McCarthy's team need a lot of help from the rest of the clubs in the league to make the playoffs.
Ipswich are winless in their last three matches – which include back to back losses – and the Blues have failed to score a goal. The good news for McCarthy's side is the team is undefeated in its last two matches against Birmingham.
Ipswich leading scorer Martyn Waghorn has been a bright spot for the club this term. The former Rangers' player has tallied 12 goals and eight assists in 36 games. Waghorn has gone over three matches without scoring as Ipswich have failed to tally a goal in over 270 minutes. Forward Joe Gardner has added 10 goals to the Ipswich cause, but the Ipswich man hasn't scored in five matches. He has only played 90 minutes once in that time.
Despite Ipswich's form, the club will be playing relegation-threatened Birmingham on Sunday. Birmingham have lost the most matches in the Championship this term (23). Garry Monk, who was installed as manager on March 4, has overseen two losses in three matches. The Blues currently sit in the relegation zone, but the team is level on points with 21st placed Barnsley. Monk's team has a chance at survival, but the team only has eight matches left. Goal scoring has been a problem all season for Birmingham. The team has scored the second fewest goals this term (28). The Blues average 0.7 goals per match, 12.3 shots per game and just 48% possession.
Leading scorer Sam Gallagher has failed to score in Birmingham's last eight matches. The forward has tallied six goals this term. The Blues have been so short on goals, the club has taken on striker Francis Amartey on trial. The player scored a hat-trick in a friendly match and could earn a contract with the Blues for the remainder of the season, as the club bid for survival. Amartey's possible signing for the final run-in of matches shows just how desperate Birmingham are for goals.
Birmingham's –29 goal difference is the third worst in the Championship. Against Ipswich, that goal difference should grow larger and relegation survival will go down to the team's final matches. Ipswich can take the spoils against Birmingham and improve their playoff hopes for the time being. Meanwhile, Birmingham will have to wait another matchday to get out of the relegation zone.
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