Ipswich Town and Colchester United return to EFL Trophy action on Tuesday night, as both teams attempt to enhance their chances of reaching the knockout phase.
The two sides are locked on three points in Group I, with second-place Ipswich sitting just ahead of third-place Colchester on goal difference.
🎥 Match Highlights | AFC Sudbury 🟨 0-4 🟩 #ColU All the action from the U's First Round win in the Emirates FA Cup from Friday evening. 👇— Colchester United FC (@ColU_Official) November 8, 2021
🎥 Match Highlights | AFC Sudbury 🟨 0-4 🟩 #ColU All the action from the U's First Round win in the Emirates FA Cup from Friday evening. 👇
With last-place Gillingham also on three points and first-place West Ham United U21 on six points, it’s still all to play for in Group I.
Ipswich have only lost one of their last eight outings across all competitions, picking up five wins and two draws along the way.
When you look at the biggest picture, the Tractor Boys have lost just two of their previous 12 encounters.
Having won three of their past four League One matches, Ipswich find themselves ninth in England’s third tier – 11 points behind first-place Wigan Athletic.
It is worth noting that Paul Cook’s men are the top scorers in League One, with 34 goals to their name. They are averaging a touch over 2.1 goals per game in the league this term.
Meanwhile, Colchester sit seventeenth in League Two – just six points clear of last-place Scunthorpe United.
Hayden Mullins’ side have only managed to win four of their 15 league matches this season, recording five draws and six losses in the process.
Having scored a measly 12 goals in 15 league games, just the bottom four teams in League Two have a poorer offensive record than Colchester.
Still, it is worth pointing out that Colchester United head into Tuesday’s clash on a two-match winning streak.
After beating Scunthorpe 2-1 in League Two, they thrashed Sudbury 4-0 in the FA Cup – enjoying 70% possession while racking up 23 shots last time out.
Head-to-head: Ipswich and Colchester have faced each other on 19 occasions over the years. The Tractor Boys have won ten times, while the U’s have sealed five wins.
Both teams have scored in three of the past eight meetings, while over 2.5 goals have been scored in ten of the previous 14 encounters.
Team news: Macauley Bonne is expected to lead the line for Ipswich on Tuesday. The QPR loanee has netted 11 goals in 16 appearances across all competitions this term.
Colchester will be without injured midfielder Alan Judge on Tuesday. The U’s man to watch is Freddie Sears, who will be eager to add to his tally of six goals against his former club.
With Ipswich sitting ninth in League One and Colchester seventeenth in League Two, the hosts shouldn’t struggle to get the win on Tuesday.
Forebet predicts that Ipswich will keep a clean sheet on their way to dispatching Colchester at Portman Road.