Everton vs Ipswich Town: Mid-Table Clash with Rivalry
Everton and Ipswich Town meet again on 19 September 2026 at 15:00, a fixture that suddenly carries the edge of a developing rivalry as much as a simple mid‑table Premier League contest. Ninth hosts tenth, and the numbers say there’s barely anything between them.
Recent history leans slightly blue-and-white, but not the way Everton would like. Ipswich have taken two wins from the last five meetings, including a 2-0 victory at Goodison in October 2024. The most recent clash, a 2-2 draw at Hill Dickinson Stadium in May 2025, underlined the pattern: Ipswich don’t come to lie down.
Everton’s solid base
David Moyes sends out a side that looks built on structure and control. Jordan Pickford anchors a back line of James Tarkowski, Jarrad Branthwaite, Vitaliy Mykolenko and Ainsley Maitland-Niles, a unit that has quietly become one of the more reliable in the division.
The numbers back that up. Everton are unbeaten in their last five in all competitions, with two wins and three draws, scoring eight and conceding just three. They’ve kept two clean sheets in that run and are coming off a tight 1-0 Carabao Cup win over Wolverhampton Wanderers.
In the league, though, it’s been a story of frustration as much as resilience: three straight draws — 0-0 with Tottenham, 2-2 against Manchester United, 1-1 versus Bournemouth. Hard to beat, yes. Ruthless? Not yet.
Midfield control will rest with Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall and James Garner, with Harrison Armstrong and Tyrique George offering energy and legs. Brennan Johnson brings direct running and pace in the final third, while Thierno Barry adds another attacking outlet. Christian Noergaard and Merlin Roehl are both ruled out through injury, trimming Moyes’ options but not his core structure. There are no suspensions to navigate.
Ipswich’s punch and vulnerability
Gary O’Neil arrives with a very different profile: a side that can hurt you, and can just as easily hurt itself.
Ipswich have won two and lost three of their last five in all competitions, scoring ten and conceding twelve. The contrast is stark. A 3-2 Premier League win at Crystal Palace showcased their attacking edge. A 4-2 Carabao Cup defeat to Arsenal exposed the gaps.
Kjell Scherpen starts in goal, with a back four of Leif Davis, Jacob Greaves, Issa Diop and Dara O’Shea. It’s a defence that will be asked to hold firm against an Everton team that, while not free-scoring, has found ways to create enough chances to stay unbeaten.
O’Neil’s midfield has been hit by injuries. Jack Taylor, Emersonn and Azor Matusiwa are all sidelined, removing a chunk of his engine room and ball-winning presence. Even so, there are no suspensions, so Ipswich can at least lean on continuity in other areas.
A tight table, a thin margin
The league table underlines the stakes. Everton sit ninth, Ipswich tenth. One result can flip the order. For Moyes, it’s a chance to turn those stubborn draws into something more ambitious. For O’Neil, it’s an opportunity to prove that Ipswich’s attacking flair can stand up to one of the division’s more disciplined defences.
The head-to-head numbers are a reminder of how awkward this fixture has been for Everton: one win in five against Ipswich, two draws, eleven goals shared. Ipswich have already shown they can win on Merseyside. Everton have already shown they can shut games down.
Something has to give.
