Burton vs Ipswich preview
Thursday 7 November 2019 12:01, UK
Burton will be without midfielder David Templeton for their opening match of the Sky Bet League One season against Ipswich.
Templeton is carrying a hip flexor problem, and is expected to be unavailable for up to three weeks. Defender Richard Nartey will be monitored on a tight hamstring picked up during friendlies.
Midfielder Ben Fox remains sidelined as he recovers from an anterior cruciate ligament knee injury, which is expected to keep him out for the majority of the campaign.
Ipswich, relegated from the Championship, will start life in League One without captain Luke Chambers, who is serving a suspension carried over from a red card in the final game of last season. Defender Toto Nsiala is set to miss Town's first few matches as he recovers from a torn hamstring suffered in pre-season.
James Wilson is expected to be handed a deal following his trial, so the former Lincoln defender could be available against Burton, with summer signing James Norwood expected to make his debut. Midfielder Teddy Bishop (knee), forward Jack Lankester (back) and striker Freddie Sears (knee ) all continue their rehabilitation.
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Burton Albion have never beaten Ipswich Town in the Football League, drawing one and losing three of their four previous meetings. Indeed, the Brewers have not faced a team more often in league encounters without failing to win at least once.
Ipswich have visited the Pirelli Stadium to face Burton twice before in league games; running out 2-1 winners on both occasions in April and October 2017 under manager Mick McCarthy.
Burton have lost 50% of their first league matches of an EFL campaign, only managing to win twice in their 10 previous seasons on the opening day - 1-0 v Oxford in 2014-15 and 2-1 v Scunthorpe in 2015-16 (P10 W2 D3 L5).
Ipswich Town are kicking of their league campaign outside of the top two tiers of English football for the first time since the 1956-57 season, when they fell to a 1-4 defeat away from home to Torquay United in the old Division Three South.
Burton boss Nigel Clough and Ipswich boss Paul Lambert have met four times before in all competitions (two wins each), with Burton v Ipswich becoming fourth different fixture between the two managers after Derby v Norwich, Sheffield United v Aston Villa and Burton v Wolves.
