Game Week 11 Predictions: Spurs to beat Ipswich

Tottenham aims for consistency against struggling Ipswich after Europa League loss; a win could lift Spurs into the top four pre-break.

Tottenham Hotspur must bounce back from the midweek loss in the Europa League to Galatasaray as they could end the weekend in the top four with a good win here. (Photo credit: MFT)

 Tottenham Hotspur vs. Ipswich Town

Tottenham Hotspur Stadium

3:00pm

The fire is burning low at Tottenham; it’s tough to explain what is going on there, but, after the loss in the Europa League against Galatasaray, Ange Postecoglou must re-evaluate and change something.

Spurs managed back-to-back wins against Manchester City in the League Cup, followed by a dramatic comeback win against Aston Villa in the league last weekend, leading everyone to believe the club is back to its best. However, their performance in Turkey, where they played like they've never seen football before, exemplifies the inconsistency we've come to associate with them.

Ipswich Town is showing signs of exhaustion; they appear to be on a downward trajectory alongside Southampton. If they fail to gain momentum and achieve significant victories, they may find themselves competing with their former rivals in the Championship.

The Tractor Boys have not won in their last five games; their last positive outcome was a 2-2 draw at home against Aston Villa, a game many expected them to lose due to their visitors' form. The last point they earned was a draw at home last weekend, which was disappointing due to their lack of discipline.

They were firmly in charge, leading 1-0 until on-loan midfielder Kalvin Phillips got on the wrong side of the law, bagging his second yellow for an early bath, and the Foxes took things from there. You wonder if they would have lost all three points had they gotten more minutes on the clock.

Tottenham needs to win this game; although it may seem unlikely, a victory over Ipswich could propel the hosts to as high as fourth on the log. This is a significant incentive as they approach the international break; a draw won't be beneficial.

Kalvin Phillips is unavailable for Kieran McKenna as he serves his one match ban; Axel Tuanzebe is a long-term absentee; and Chidozie Ogbene won’t feature again this season after tearing his ACL while on international duty.

Spurs still lack Micky Van De Ven, so they expect Christian Romero and Rata Dragusin to feature. The Argentine will face a late fitness test after limping off the last time out, but he's a warrior who likes to play.

Dominic Solanke would hope to build on his brace against Aston Villa; expect him to lead the line alongside free-scoring Brennan Johnson. Ipswich can profit from Tottenham’s high line, but they themselves must stay compact in defense; they can’t afford to concede early.

Verdict: Spurs to win.