Eng. Championship
2013-05-04 - Burnley vs Ipswich Town
A Sports Betting Pick by Auls
Football: English Championship
Saturday 4 May 2013 - Kick Off 12:45pm
Burnley
The season comes to a close at Turf Moor for Burnley and it has been a mixed bag of a year, but one that could be built upon next season. Since being relegated from the Premier League after a one year stay, it has been hard for Burnley to find the consistency in the Championship to challenge for promotion, while the Eddie Howe reign as manager just never seemed to work. Now it will be up to Sean Dyche to move the team forward in the off-season after already being manager of the club for six months or so.
The side are 14th in the Championship table and picking up three points in this one may be enough to see them finish in the top half of the table. Burnley have been particularly tough to play at Turf Moor where they are 8-8-6 this season, scoring 29 goals and conceding 22 in those games.
It has been a tough end to the season for Burnley and they have won just 3 of their last 16 League games, although the win last week at Wolves is likely to have consigned them to relegation. Burnley have won 1 of their last 8 home games in the League although they are unbeaten in their last 3 games here since a 0-1 loss to Hull City.
Ipswich Town
Mick McCarthy is not really someone that would take great pleasure in seeing a former side struggling the way they are, and I think Wolves fans will all be wishing that they had kept the Irishman in charge last season. Although it looked unlikely that McCarthy would save Wolves from relegation from the Premier League twelve months ago, his performance as manager of Ipswich Town certainly suggests Wolves would not be facing relegation to League One this season if he was in charge at Molineaux.
McCarthy took over as manager with Ipswich Town struggling at the bottom of the Championship table and they looked in a really tough spot to survive in this Division. However, he has taken the side and given them belief and had some flying up the table with a top half finish very likely. Ipswich are 11th in the Championship, going 6-7-9 away from home, scoring just 14 goals and conceding 32 in those games.
Ipswich Town have only lost 1 of their last 9 games in the Championship and they do look like a side that could potentially challenge for promotion next season. However, they have only won 1 of their last 9 away games in the League despite 1 loss in their last 6 on their travels.
Head to Head
Ipswich Town beat Burnley 2-1 at Portman Road earlier this season.
Burnley crushed Ipswich 4-0 here at Turf Moor last season, but the Tractor Boys had won on back to back visits prior to that and had been unbeaten in 3 games here.
Prediction
Burnley have been tough to play at Turf Moor and motivation for neither team is particularly high with the holidays looming large. However, I think Ipswich Town have been playing the more consistent football of late and may just finish the season with some real momentum.
At the bigger odds, Ipswich to win this game looks a decent price.
The Pick :
Burnley 0-1 Ipswich Town
