Chris Sutton has backed Ipswich Town to take a point against Bournemouth ahead of their Premier League meeting, even with Bournemouth carrying the look of one of the league's form teams. It is a call that cuts against the mood around the fixture, but Sutton believes the Tractor Boys have enough about them to make it difficult.
The reason he is not putting Ipswich aside is simple enough. Sutton said Bournemouth showed they have got a bit of depth in their squad after he thought they would run out of steam against Leeds United last week, but he was also struck by what Ipswich produced last time out, when they were unlucky not to beat Hull City. That match left him thinking the Tractor Boys have got a bit of spirit about them, and that matters in a game like this.
There is also a style clash in the background. Sutton described Bournemouth as a front-foot team under Marco Rose and called Rose a very attack-minded manager, which should make for a lively contest rather than a cautious one. He also said Ipswich will have a go too, and that is why he can see the points being shared instead of the stronger-looking side simply taking control.
That is what gives this prediction its edge. Bournemouth may arrive with better form, but Sutton is not treating that as enough to settle the outcome, because Ipswich have shown enough resilience to stay in games and enough ambition to ask questions of opponents. The next test is the match itself, and the only real answer now is whether Ipswich can turn that spirit into the point Sutton thinks they can get.
