Ipswich Town host Sunderland on Saturday, August 22 (10:00 AM ET / 9:00 AM CT / 7:00 AM PT).
Ipswich Town carry a couple of fitness question marks into this one, with the doubtful Azor Matusiwa and the knee-affected Jack Taylor both touch-and-go, though the attacking options look well stocked regardless — Jack Clarke banked 16 goals last season, Jaden Philogene added 12 with 33 shots on target, and George Hirst chipped in with 11 of his own. Sunderland have their own doubts to manage in the doubtful Omar Alderete Fernandez and the doubtful Nordi Mukiele, but Brian Brobbey’s 7 goals and Wilson Isidor’s 6 give the visitors a threat up top, while Enzo Le Fée’s 53 chances created last season points to plenty of service still to come from midfield.
Neither side has kicked a ball this season yet, and with both entries in the table still blank, last season’s individual output is the best guide going. Sunderland’s last five matches from that campaign broke down as two losses, two draws and a win, a shaky finish this group will want to leave behind, while Ipswich Town’s forward line arrives with goals already banked between them. A tight, cagey opener feels like the shape of things here, with both defences fancied to have the edge on the day.
Ipswich Town vs Sunderland: Best Bets & Predictions
Team news, last season's top performers and best bets for the season opener between Ipswich Town and Sunderland.
Our approach: we lean on last season's underlying numbers and the confirmed team news to build picks that agree with each other, not five random shots in the dark.
Odds correct at time of writing and shown in American format for illustration; your local odds may vary. 19+ (18+ in AB/MB/QC). Please play responsibly. ConnexOntario: 1-866-531-2600 (ON).
Season Form & Standings
Ipswich Town and Sunderland both open the new season with 0 points, 0 wins and a goal difference of 0, the table still blank before a ball’s kicked between them.
Premier League
| Team | Pos | GP | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ipswich Town | 12 | 0 | |||||||
| Sunderland | 19 | 0 |
Ipswich Town vs Sunderland Predicted Lineups
Predicted XI — updated for the latest team news.
Ipswich Town
4-2-3-1Sunderland
4-2-3-1Potential Match-Winners
- Jack Clarke (Ipswich Town): Clarke’s 16 goals and 58 shots last season made him Ipswich’s clearest attacking threat, with 24 of those efforts on target.
- Marcelino Núñez (Ipswich Town): Núñez was the creative hub of the side, setting up 68 chances and adding 7 assists across the campaign.
- Enzo Le Fée (Sunderland): Le Fée topped 2,934 minutes last season and created 53 chances, the clearest playmaking outlet in the Sunderland ranks.
Recent Form
Ipswich Town:
There’s no recent-form data to draw on for Ipswich Town — this is trip one of the new season — so last season’s individual numbers do the early talking, with Clarke’s 16 goals leading the way alongside Philogene’s 12 and Hirst’s 11.
Sunderland: L L D D W
- 2026-05-17: Everton 1-3 Sunderland (W, away)
- 2026-05-09: Sunderland 0-0 Manchester United (D, home)
- 2026-05-02: Wolves 1-1 Sunderland (D, away)
- 2026-04-24: Sunderland 0-5 Nottingham Forest (L, home)
- 2026-04-19: Aston Villa 4-3 Sunderland (L, away)
Sunderland’s last five matches of last season ran L, L, D, D, W — a 4-3 defeat at Aston Villa and a 0-5 hammering by Nottingham Forest, before drawn games with Wolves and Manchester United and a 3-1 win at Everton to finish.
Ipswich Town vs Sunderland Prediction
With the table offering nothing to separate them and the underlying numbers pointing to a low-event, evenly matched opener, 1-1 looks the fair split. Jack Clarke’s movement gives Ipswich Town the edge on chance quality, but Enzo Le Fée’s range of passing should keep Sunderland in it throughout — enough for both attacks to get on the scoresheet without either defence being overrun.