Sky Live: Ipswich vs Derby preview
Watch live via the Red Button on Sky Sports Football from 7.40pm
Wednesday 13 February 2019 10:31, UK
Forward Freddie Sears is facing up to a year on the sidelines with a cruciate injury as bottom club Ipswich prepare to regroup for the Sky Bet Championship match against Derby.
Sears suffered the ACL injury during Sunday's 3-0 defeat at East Anglia rivals Norwich and is set for surgery ahead of a long road to recovery. Defender Luke Chambers (foot) faces a late fitness test, while German forward Collin Quaner (hamstring) should return and winger Gwion Edwards could be included as he steps up recovery from a groin problem.
Defender James Collins (hamstring) remains unavailable, along with Jack Lankester (back) and Emyr Huws (knee). Ben Folami (Achilles) and Grant Ward (cruciate) are both long-term absentees.
Derby expect to have both Jack Marriott and Tom Lawrence available for the trip to Suffolk. Forward Marriott missed Saturday's 2-0 win over Hull with illness.
Striker Lawrence, meanwhile, has been sidelined by a calf problem but should return to contention against his former club. Goalkeeper Scott Carson is out with a thigh strain, while Mason Mount has a hamstring problem.
Opta stats
Ipswich have lost each of their last four home Championship matches against Derby County since winning 2-1 in March 2014.
Derby haven't completed a league double over Ipswich since the 1986-87 campaign.
Since Mick McCarthy's last home Championship match in charge, Ipswich have collected just 14 home points (W2 D8 L7) - fewer than any other side to have competed in the division in both the 2017-18 and 2018-19 seasons.
Derby have failed to score in two away Championship games in 2019, attempting just two shots on target; in their two away FA Cup games in 2019, they scored three goals and attempted 12 efforts on target.
Ipswich's Paul Lambert has lost his last two Championship games against Derby, losing 0-1 with Blackburn in February 2016 and 1-3 with Wolves in April 2017.
Derby boss Frank Lampard featured, and scored, in Paul Lambert's heaviest English league defeat as a manager when he was Aston Villa manager, an 8-0 win for Chelsea in December 2012.
Prutton's prediction
David Prutton predicts: 0-1 (5/1 with Sky Bet)
