Everton's manager, Sean Dyche, acknowledges the ongoing discussions about the club's potential acquisition by The Friedkin Group. He admits that he is as informed as the fans regarding the timeline for its completion. This American group's proposed takeover is pending Premier League approval, which could end months of uncertainty surrounding Everton's future. Meanwhile, Dyche has guided his team to four points in their last two matches.

Dyche emphasises the importance of maintaining performance levels as they prepare to face Ipswich at Portman Road this weekend. "I've said it all along," Dyche told BBC Sport. "The powers that be might know more than me, and that's right because it's a business. It's not just a football business that I take care of on the pitch, it's the whole business. So, they're going to have to wait and see."

Ipswich recently suffered a significant 4-1 defeat against West Ham at the London Stadium. This loss marks their joint-heaviest defeat of the season and extends their winless streak to seven games since their promotion from the Championship. This run equals their longest without a victory at the start of a top-flight season, matching a similar streak from 1969-70.

Despite these setbacks, Ipswich head coach Kieran McKenna remains optimistic about his team's performance so far. He acknowledges the challenges of adapting to Premier League competition but believes his players can rise to meet them. "Of course, it is the first time we have lost a game in a while," McKenna said.

Liam Delap has been in excellent form for Ipswich, scoring four goals in his last five Premier League appearances. He aims to become only the fifth player in club history to score in three consecutive league matches and would be the youngest at 21 years old.

For Everton, Dwight McNeil stands out with his impressive playmaking abilities. He has delivered more successful through balls than any other player this season (five), all received by Dominic Calvert-Lewin. McNeil has also created 23 chances this year.

Historical Context and Match Prediction

This upcoming match marks the first meeting between Ipswich and Everton since February 2002 when Ipswich secured a 2-1 victory at Goodison Park. Historically, Ipswich has had success against Everton, winning three of their last four Premier League encounters.

However, Ipswich remains winless in their current campaign (D4 L3), while Everton struggles away from home with no wins in their last 14 away matches (D5 L9). Despite these challenges, Everton hopes to build on recent results against promoted teams.

Opta Win Probability

According to Opta's win probability analysis:

The statistics suggest a competitive match ahead with Ipswich slightly favoured over Everton.

As both teams prepare for this encounter, they aim to overcome recent challenges and secure valuable points in their respective campaigns.