David Prutton predicts result of West Brom v Ipswich Town for Sky Sports
David Prutton has made his prediction ahead of the Championship clash between West Brom and Ipswich at Portman Road this week for Sky Sports.
The Baggies claimed a huge win in their local derby with Birmingham last time out with a 1-0 win, while Ipswich suffered defeat to Preston and fell out of the top two for the first time since September.
And speaking to Sky Sports (9 February), Prutton admitted that Kieran McKenna’s side will be confident of getting back on the winning track against West Brom but backed Carlos Corberan to be able to perform well and earn a draw on the road.
“Ipswich are out of the top two looking in for the first time since mid-September,” he said. “But they need to have some context here despite their poor run, they are trying to keep up with three absolute behemoths and they have had a stunning campaign so far.
“West Brom got an important late win against Birmingham last week, which has helped keep the chasing pack at bay for a bit. With Ipswich in the form they’re in they’ll fancy their chances at Portman Road, and that may not have been the case a few weeks ago. But I think this will still be a case of spoils shared. 2-2.”
Give West Brom credit for their Championship season too
There’s no doubt that Ipswich have had a fantastic season this year and the job Kieran McKenna has done is excellent, but let’s not pretend West Brom were expected to be in the playoff hunt.
Last year when Corberan came into the club the Baggies were battling relegation and he pushed the club all the way into playoff contention, and this season he has carried that on despite a severe lack of financial backing from the ownership in the transfer window.
But Corberan has also dealt with an insane amount of injury problems this season, as well as having players leave against his wishes and yet West Brom are right in the mix again. He has found solutions with young players and got results.
This is a huge game for both teams and it’s a real 50/50 affair with both squads arguably over-performing on expectations this season, with the winner gaining huge ground in the chase for a top six spot.
In other West Brom news, Corberan outlines plans for free agent midfield signing.
For more West Brom news, follow us on Facebook or join our brand new WhatsApp Channel for instant updates to be sent straight to your phone.