Ipswich Town welcome play-off chasing Brentford to Portman Road on Saturday.

Brentford are looking to build upon their impressive draw and win over the Easter weekend.

Mick McCarthy would want to go out with a bang

After announcing he will depart the club at the end of the season, Ipswich Town boss, Mick McCarthy will want to go out with bang by winning the last few games. 

Ipswich sit in 12th place and five points behind Brentford going into this game. A strong end to the season could also attract a manager with greater ambition.

Boss Mick McCarthy did have some positive news for Blues fans, as he said in his pre match news conference that even though he is leaving at the end of this season, he hasn't given up fighting. He said "The fact that I’m not going to be here doesn’t mean to say I’m going to down tools and not compete and not be snarling in the fourth official’s ear if I think somebody else is doing it. "

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Brentford looking to make a late push

The Bees come into this game looking to make it four games unbeaten after two 1-1 draws in a row and a 1-0 win at promotion chasing Bristol City on Easter Monday evening.

There is just six games to go of the season and there is just five points between Brentford and the play-off spots. A win at Portman Road could be a great chance to put a gap to the teams below them whilst also keeping up the pressure on those above them.

I have never had an easy game against one of Mick’s teams and I’m never likely to,” Bees boss Dean Smith said to iFollow Brentford in his pre match press conference.

“It’s going to be tough and we are going to have to be as good as we were on Monday to win." Smith added.

The Bees only really have one tough fixture in their run in, when they face West London rivals Fulham matchday after next, so this is a great chance for the Bees to make a real go of pushing for another play-off run.

Team News 

Mustapha Carayol should be fit in time for the game despite going off in their previous fixture. Captain Cole Skuse is likely to miss out with a head injury. Ben Folami should feature whilst Tom Adeyami is out for the rest of the season.

Florian Jozefzoon is likely to be missing after going off with an ankle injury on Monday. Lewis Macleod could feature after returning to training this week.

Predicted Line-ups

Brentford (4-2-3-1)

Bentley, Dalsgaard, Egan, Mepham, Barbet, McEachran, Mokotjo, Judge, Sawyers, Canos, Watkins

Ipswich Town (3-4-3)

Bialkowski, Chambers, Webster, Knudsen, Spence, Ward, Gleeson, Kenlock, Carayol, Waghorn, Celina