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West Brom vs Ipswich predictions:
- Draw and both teams to score – 17/5 BetVictor
- Nathan Broadhead to score any time – 14/5 BetMGM
- Over 5.5 cards – 11/10 bet365
Two promotion hopefuls collide in the Championship on Saturday night when West Brom host Ipswich Town at The Hawthorns (5.30pm, Sky Sports Football).
The Tractors Boys are setting the pace at the top of the table alongside Leicester City after taking 39 points from their opening 16 matches.
Kieran McKenna’s men got back to winning ways after successive draws with a 3-2 win over Swansea City at Portman Road before the international break.
But, the Baggies will provide a stern test of their promotion credentials at The Hawthorns, where Huddersfield Town are the only visiting side to win this season.
Outside of the defeat to the Terriers, Carlos Corberan’s side have been impressive on home soil, winning five of their eight matches.
West Brom battled past Hull to record a 3-1 win, only to see their momentum checked before the break in a 2-1 road defeat to Southampton.
The Baggies are sitting outside the play-off places on goal difference, but could climb up to fifth with a win over Ipswich if results land in their favour elsewhere.
Football betting sites cannot separate the two teams ahead of the contest as both are priced at 6/4 to win.
We'll bear those odds in mind with our West Brom vs Ipswich predictions.
Will the two sides cancel each other out?
Ipswich are playing excellent football in the final third and have scored the most goals in the Championship, totalling 36 in 16 matches.
The Tractor Boys have caught the eye with their possession game, which is allowing them to create a host of chances in front of goal. But, recently there have been issues at the other end of the pitch.
McKenna’s men have conceded eight goals in four matches and have kept only one clean sheet in their last six.
It is a concern for a team chasing automatic promotion, and Ipswich’s defensive record will have to improve to make their Premier League dream a reality.
The Baggies have kept the most clean sheets in the Championship with seven this season.
Corberan is slowly moulding the team to his preferred style of play, offering a pragmatic approach that worked so well in steering Huddersfield Town to the playoffs in 2022.
Goals are starting to flow too through even without leading scorer John Swift, who is making his way back to fitness.
It makes for an interesting game at The Hawthorns, and we believe these two sides may cancel each other out in an entertaining stalemate.
After looking at UK betting sites, we’re backing a draw and both teams to score at odds of 17/5 with BetVictor with our first West Brom vs Ipswich prediction.
West Brom vs Ipswich Tip 1: Draw and both teams to score - 17/5 BetVictor
Broadhead to step up for Ipswich
One of the most impressive aspects of Ipswich's goalscoring prowess is that they’ve not relied on just one player to find the back of the net. On most occasions when a team scores so many goals, there’s usually one stand out forward that has bagged a hatful.
That’s not the case with the Tractor Boys, who have shared the load around the team, including useful contributions off the bench.
Marcus Harness was a prime example by scoring twice as a substitute to rescue a point against Birmingham City at the start of November.
Nathan Broadhead and Conor Chaplin are their leading marksmen with six goals each, although the former has not scored in his last three, while Chaplin ended a four-game stretch without finding the net against Swansea.
George Hirst has also notched four goals, although his record is hardly prolific.
Broadhead is a touch of class in the final third and he will be keen to make a point after a disappointing international break for Wales as they were forced to go through the play-offs in their bid to reach Euro 2024.
An open game could suit his style, and we’re backing him to score any time at odds of 14/5 with BetMGM with our second West Brom vs Ipswich prediction.
West Brom vs Ipswich Tip 2: Nathan Broadhead to score any time – 14/5 BetMGM
Should we expect cards at The Hawthorns?
West Brom have been one of the best-behaved teams in the Championship when it comes to discipline.
Corberan’s men have collected only 29 yellow cards, averaging fewer than two per match, and are yet to have a player dismissed this season.
Ipswich’s discipline has not been of the same standard, picking up 38 yellow cards.
Only six teams have obtained more cautions in the Championship this season, although the Tractor Boys have also managed to keep all 11 players on the pitch.
McKenna’s side are familiar with referee Gavin Ward, who has been assigned the fixture in the Midlands.
He officiated Ipswich’s wins over Cardiff and Plymouth earlier this season and dished out four yellow cards to the Tractor Boys in each game, while their opponents accrued three and two cautions respectively.
The card line has been set at 5.5 by bet365, and we’re backing the over at odds of 11/10 with our final West Brom vs Ipswich prediction.
West Brom vs Ipswich Tip 3: Over 5.5 cards – 11/10 bet365
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Last Updated: 14th March 2024, 07:22 AM
