LEAGUE ONE POWERHOUSES CLASH
By Leon Imber (@leonimber)
Two previous FA Cup winners go head-to-head this weekend in the first round of the competition.
Kenny Jackett, manager of Portsmouth, spoke of the state of his squad: “We will be travelling to Ipswich with the same squad that went to Lincoln in midweek. Our injuries at the moment are Michael Jacobs, Jack Whatmough and Lee Brown.”
Embed from Getty ImagesIpsiwch manager Paul Lambert will definitely be without defender Luke Woolfenden, who is currently self-isolating after a positive test of COVID-19. Andre Dozzell is also certain to miss the cup tie, who is serving a suspension after being sent off against Sunderland on Tuesday.
Embed from Getty ImagesTown striker Oliver Hawkins left Portsmouth in the summer to join the Tractor Boys. Lambert heaped praise on the forward as he looks set to face his former side: “What he does for the team is incredible.” He added: “I knew he was a handful when I saw him a few years ago.”
Ipswich sit two points and five places above Portsmouth in League One going into this cup tie. This makes the clash the highest ranked tie of the first round.
The two sides met once last season in the league. The game saw Pompey pick up all three points at Fratton Park with a 1-0 victory, with Ronan Curtis on target for the home side.
