Preview: Town Vs West Ham

By Aston
December 31 2004

Ipswich Town can go six points clear at the top of the championship if they can beat West Ham at Portman Road tomorrow.

Ipswich Town can go six points clear at the top of the championship if they can beat West Ham at Portman Road tomorrow.

Town are still with out Drissa Diallo who is two weeks away from a return, Shane Supple has been dropped from the squad so he can rest a heel injury Lewis Price has returned early from his loan spell at Cambridge United to take Supple’s place in the 16.

Town manager Joe Royle:“They have a powerful squad and have had players on the bench week in, week out that

would get in most teams in this division, I'm sure they will be there or thereabouts at the end of the season but it's a big game for them there is no doubt about that.

“I'm not sure if Teddy Sheringham will be fit but if he plays, we know he carries a danger and they have players like Rebrov, Harewood and Etherington that can be match winners on their day.

“But our home record has been fantastic this season and we'll be looking to continue our unbeaten run long into the new year.”

West Ham currently sit 7th in the table behind Millwall on goal difference have a number of injuries at the moment former England striker Teddy Sheringham is carrying an ankle injury, midfielders Steve Lomas is struggling with a calf problem and fellow midfielder Nigel Reo-Coker is suffering with flu as in defender Anton Ferdinand.

West Ham boss Alan Pardew: “They will be really determined to knock us back, the Play Off semi-final was a huge occasion and I’m sure the wounds from that will resurface when we visit Portman Road on Saturday.

“Of course, we have already played them at Upton Park this season, when we drew 1-1, so that might take some heat out of the occasion.

“But I’m sure the players and fans of Ipswich have been waiting to get us at Portman Road so they can avenge what must have been a very painful experience.

“We’ll have to be weary of that backlash and make sure we don’t get sucked into the intensity of the occasion. Insults

“The front two for Ipswich are really dangerous, and we’ll have to defend very well on Saturday.

“Kuqi is having a great season and you have to appreciate how far he has come and admit that he deserves the success he is getting. Darren Bent is a very quick, athletic player who can also finish well and he showed how dangerous he is when we played Ipswich in the Play Offs last season.

“Ipswich have without doubt one of the best strike partnerships in the Championship, proved by the fact that Kuqi and Bent have scored 24 goals between them already this season.

“That’s bettered only by Wigan’s Nathan Ellington and Jason Roberts, who have scored a combined 26 goals so far.

“But in Marlon Harewood and Teddy Sheringham we’ve got a strike partnership to match anyone in the Championship. Between them Marlon and Teddy have scored 20 goals this season, and that’s with Teddy missing a number of games because of injury.”

Ipswich Town squad Darren Bent, Dean Bowditch, Pablo Couñago, Darren Currie, Kelvin Davis, Jason De Vos, Kevin Horlock, Daniel Karbassiyoon, Shefki Kuqi, Jim Magilton, Tommy Miller, Richard Naylor, Lewis Price, Matt Richards, Ian Westlake, Fabian Wilnis.

Sunderland are the only team who can catch Town on points which will only happen if Town lose and Sunderland come away from Preston with all three points, Wigan are away at Sheffield United and Reading travel to Gillingham.

There will be a minutes silence before tomorrows game as a mark of respect for those killed in the Tsunami Disaster in Asia.

Sources: Ipswich Town and West Ham united - the official websites.

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