Ipswich Town team news and predicted XI v Middlesbrough | OneFootball

Highlights

Ipswich Town suffered a few little blips during the month of November, but they have gotten off to the perfect start in December with back-to-back home wins.

The Tractor Boys suffered just their second defeat of the campaign at the end of last month when West Brom downed Kieran McKenna's side 2-0 at The Hawthorns, but both Millwall and Coventry City have been put to the sword since, and it leaves them just one point behind table-topping Leicester City.

A tough test awaits though this coming weekend when the Suffolk outfit make the long trip up to Teesside to take on Michael Carrick's Middlesbrough - he is a man who worked alongside McKenna as a coach at Man United a few years back.

There are no fresh injury concerns for McKenna to deal with, with Lee Evans being the club's only long-term casualty after his knee surgery in October.

Janoi Donacien, who has only played in three Championship matches this season, is returning to fitness again though following a groin issue, but it is suspensions that the Town boss has to worry about ahead of picking his team.

Two key players hit the five yellow cards mark against Coventry last weekend, with Massimo Luongo and Brandon Williams failing to make it past the 19-game mark without hitting the threshold for a 1-game ban.

That means changes will need to be made to the starting 11 against Boro - let's see what McKenna may go for.

Predicted Ipswich Town XI to face Middlesbrough

GK: Vaclav Hladky

Because of the performances of Hladky, who was second choice for the whole of last season, Christian Walton has not been able to regain his place in the Town starting 11.

The Czech stopper has the third-highest goals prevented number in the entire Championship, and he has been more-than worth his spot in-between the sticks.

Clarke started last Saturday ahead of Brandon Williams, who had been unavailable for a number of recent matches, but the Man United loanee's yellow card as a substitute against Cov means that he cannot be selected anyway.

So, Clarke will keep his place in the side for at least one game longer.

Due to his notable injury record, Tuanzebe was not in the squad to face Coventry just a few days after completing 90 minutes against Millwall in an impressive performance.

The former Man United defender should be fresh though for this test, where he will likely come in for Luke Woolfenden.

CB: Cameron Burgess

As showed against Millwall, Burgess is a good partner to Tuanzebe and provides the right balance being a left-footer.

The Aussie has started in all-but two Championship matches so far, both of which he was unavailable for.

LB: Leif Davis

The top assister in the Championship with nine to his name, Davis has been attracting interest from West Ham recently.

Davis is one of the first names on the team-sheet and if he were to get injured over the Christmas period then it would be a big blow to Town.

CDM: Sam Morsy

Aside from the one match he was suspended for five bookings, Morsy has been an ever-present at the heart of the engine room.

Ipswich's captain will have a new midfield partner alongside him though due to Luongo's suspension.

And that partner should be Taylor, who has only started three times in the league for Ipswich since his arrival from Peterborough United.

Taylor has scored stunners against Swansea and also Wolves in the EFL Cup this season, so McKenna knows exactly what he can do from the midfield area if called upon.

Burns' trivela strike against Coventry was the talk of Twitter over the weekend, and there's no reason to drop the Wales international after a stellar performance.

With Omari Hutchinson itching for game-time as well though, as well as Marcus Harness, it will need to be a good performance once more from the 29-year-old though.

CAM: Conor Chaplin

With two goals in his last four games, Chaplin is coming back into form once more and he will be a real threat to Boro's depleted defence - he has 12 goal contributions in 19 matches.

LW: Nathan Broadhead

Like Chaplin, Broadhead has seven goals in the Championship this season, and with a goal and assist from his last two appearances, the Wales international will be looking to add to his tally.

ST: George Hirst

Hirst has made the step up to the Championship expertly, and this is by far the best season of his career with five goals and as many assists already.

He is now the undisputed first-choice lone striker for McKenna, and it will take a lot of effort to usurp him.