Ipswich Town vs Southampton Thriller: Kick-Off Time, Live Stream & Key Line-Ups for Championship Clash

Portman Road braces for a clash between two promotion hopefuls this Sunday as Ipswich Town welcome Southampton in an early-season EFL Championship litmus test. Kick-off is scheduled for 12:00 BST (11:00 UTC) on 17 August 2025, with live coverage on Sky Sports Main Event and ESPN+ for international viewers. Form guide and table position • Ipswich have taken one point from their opening two league games after grinding out a 1-1 draw away to Preston last weekend. • Southampton sit ninth with three points thanks to a 2-1 home win over Hull on Matchday 1 before falling 3-2 at Sunderland in mid-week. • Last season’s head-to-head finished even: a 3-2 thriller for Ipswich at Portman Road was followed by a 1-1 draw at St Mary’s. Team news Ipswich boss Kieran McKenna hopes to have talismanic forward Conor Chaplin fit after a tight hamstring; a late fitness test will decide his involvement. Recent signing Lino Souza could debut at left-back, while Harry Clarke is ruled out with an ankle issue. Saints manager Russell Martin confirmed that teenage winger Samuel Amo-Ameyaw is back in training but unlikely to start. Joe Aribo (calf) and Jan Bednarek (illness) remain sidelined, meaning Mason Holgate should partner Taylor Harwood-Bellis in central defence. New loanee Ben Brereton Díaz is in the squad and may feature from the bench. Projected line-ups Ipswich (4-2-3-1): Hladky; Williams, Woolfenden, Burgess, Souza; Morsy ©, Luongo; Burns, Harness, Hutchinson; Ladapo. Southampton (4-3-3): Bazunu; Walker-Peters, Holgate, Harwood-Bellis, Manning; Downes, Smallbone, Charles; Fraser, Adams, Sulemana. Key stats • Ipswich are unbeaten in 17 competitive matches at Portman Road, scoring in every game. • Southampton conceded the third-most away goals (40) in the Championship last term. • Che Adams has scored four times in his last five league starts against Town. • No Championship side attempted more short-pass sequences through central zones in the first two matchdays than Southampton’s 52, illustrating Russell Martin’s possession-heavy philosophy. Tactical view Expect Ipswich to press high from kick-off, funnelling play toward the flanks where Wes Burns can exploit Manning’s advanced positioning. Southampton, however, will welcome the pressure; their 3-2-4-1 build-up shape pulls opponents inside before releasing Kyle Walker-Peters down the right. The duel between midfield anchors Sam Morsy and Flynn Downes should dictate tempo—whichever captain controls transitions will likely swing momentum. What’s at stake Both clubs harbour top-six ambitions after narrowly missing out on promotion in May. An Ipswich victory would leapfrog them above Saints and inject momentum into a September run that includes tricky fixtures versus Norwich and Sheffield Wednesday. For Southampton, three points away from home would silence early questions about defensive frailties and keep pace with fast-starters Leeds and Leicester. How to watch and stream UK: Sky Sports Main Event & Sky Go USA/Canada: ESPN+ (subscription) Australia: beIN Sports Connect Radio: BBC Suffolk and BBC Solent Match prediction Ipswich’s home fortress and Southampton’s shaky away record point toward an entertaining draw. Ipswich 2-2 Southampton—the goals flowing but neither side fully solving defensive puzzles. Fantasy & betting tip Look for Adam Armstrong in the anytime-scorer market; the Saints forward registered nine shots on target across the opening two rounds. Meanwhile, Ipswich full-back Brandon Williams is a value pick for Championship fantasy games thanks to his assist potential and clean-sheet bonus upside. Stay tuned for confirmed line-ups one hour before kick-off and follow our live blog for minute-by-minute updates, highlights and post-match reaction.